SCOTLAND

Departmental Buildings

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much in  (a) rent,  (b) service charges and  (c) business rates has been paid in respect of each of the premises occupied by his Department in each year since 2005.

Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office spend on rent, service charges and business rates since 2005 is as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Rent 182,704 224,301 209,767 210,923 
			 Service charges(1) 185,398 207,753 171,090 194,773 
			 Rates 185,051 187,005 203,130 183,379 
			 (1) Gas, electricity, water and cleaning.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Divisions

John Mann: To ask the Leader of the House what information she holds on the number of hon. Members taking part in divisions in the House.

Barbara Keeley: The number of hon. Members taking part in each division in the House, including deferred divisions, is published in both the Votes and Proceedings and the  Official Report.

East of England Regional Grand Committee

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Leader of the House what factors  (a) she and  (b) Ministerial colleagues took into account, and what consultations she held, before proposing 8 September 2009 to the House for the first meeting of the East of England Regional Grand Committee; and if she will make a statement.

Barbara Keeley: The Government proposed that the majority of Regional Grand Committees meet during the summer recess in order to minimise any clash with other business of the House.
	The decision to hold the meeting of the East of England Regional Grand Committee on 8 September was approved by the House.

Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority

Tony Baldry: To ask the Leader of the House what the working relationship will be between the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority and  (a) the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards,  (b) the Committee on Standards in Public Life and  (c) the Committee of Standards and Privileges.

Barbara Keeley: The Parliamentary Standards Bill which will create and define the role of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority is still being considered by Parliament.

Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority: Finance

Tony Baldry: To ask the Leader of the House what estimate she has made of the size of the annual budget of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority.

Barbara Keeley: The Parliamentary Standards Bill which will create and define the role of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority is still being considered by Parliament. The budget for the authority therefore has not been finalised. It will be made public as soon as possible.

Legislation: Parliamentary Scrutiny

Tony Baldry: To ask the Leader of the House what provisions she plans to make for time on the Floor of the House for debate on the Government's draft legislative programme for 2009-10.

Barbara Keeley: The Government hope to make time available on the Floor of the House for a debate on Building Britain's Future, including the Draft Legislative Programme, before the end of the current Session.
	My right hon. and learned Friend has also invited the Liaison Committee to consider the Draft Legislative Programme.

Legislation: Public Consultation

Tony Baldry: To ask the Leader of the House with reference to page 113 of the Building Britain's Future document, what the  (a) dates and  (b) locations are of each regional event in which Ministers will be taking part to highlight the publication of the Government's Draft Legislative Programme and the Building Britain's Future White Paper; which Ministers will participate in each such event; and what estimate she has made of the cost of each such event.

Barbara Keeley: Since the launch of Building Britain's Future by the Prime Minister on 29 June, regional events have already taken place in Oxfordshire (30 June), Brighton (2 July), Plymouth (6 July), Cambridge (9 July) and Portsmouth (10 July). Participating Ministers included the relevant Regional Ministers, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretaries of State for Justice, Communities and Local Government, and Culture, Media and Sport.
	Further events are currently being arranged and they will be detailed on the website at:
	www.hmg.gov.uk/buildingbritainsfuture/roadshow.aspx
	The costs of these events are being collated as they happen and they are being kept to a minimum. They will be published once all events have taken place.

Legislatures: EU Countries

John Mann: To ask the Leader of the House what information she holds on the sitting dates of the Parliaments of other EU member states.

Barbara Keeley: The Office of the Leader of the House of Commons does not hold any information on the sitting dates of the Parliaments of other EU member states.

Members: Visits Abroad

John Mann: To ask the Leader of the House how much the House has spent on foreign travel for hon. Members in 2008-09.

Barbara Keeley: A total of £1.88 million was spent on foreign travel for hon. Members in 2008-09.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Parliament: Security

Tom Brake: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how many security officers of each category were working on the Parliamentary estate in each year since 2000.

Nick Harvey: It is not the policy of the House authorities to answer questions on security matters.

Tony Blair: Allowances

David Davies: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission whether records of additional costs allowance claims made by the right hon. Tony Blair when he was Prime Minister have been destroyed; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: Original claims made by Tony Blair for additional costs allowance in 2003-04 and previous years have been destroyed in line with the House service's records disposal policy. However, copies of Mr. Blair's additional costs allowance claims in 2001-02, 2002-03 and 2003-04, which have been released under the Freedom of Information Act, have been retained in line with our policy of retaining records which have been the subject of FOI requests.

TRANSPORT

Bus Services: Concessions

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport pursuant to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Robert Neill) of 16 June 2009,  Official Report, column 170W, on bus services: concessions, if he will seek the consent of the local authorities listed for their written representations to be placed in the Library.

Sadiq Khan: Department for Transport officials are contacting the relevant authorities seeking consent to place their written representations in the Library of the House.

Crossrail Line

Tom Harris: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport when he expects Crossrail passenger services to commence.

Sadiq Khan: The first Crossrail services are expected to commence in 2017. Services are expected to be introduced on a phased basis with full operation due in 2018.

Crossrail Line: Finance

Tom Harris: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport whether he plans to review the level of his Department's contribution to the cost of constructing Crossrail.

Sadiq Khan: The Department for Transport has no current plans to change the level of contribution to the Crossrail funding package. However, the Crossrail project governance arrangements do make provision for the project sponsors (Department for Transport and Transport for London) to review costs and funding at agreed points in the programme.

Driver Information Systems

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will estimate the number of vehicles on the road in the UK which use satellite navigation devices.

Paul Clark: This information is not currently available. However, a question on the presence of satellite navigation devices in vehicles was added to the National Travel Survey with effect from January 2008. Results from the 2008 National Travel Survey are planned for release later in the year.

Driving: Licensing

Mark Hunter: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport on how many occasions the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has withdrawn driving licences after receiving notification that the licence holder was medically unfit to drive from  (a) the licence holders and  (b) a general practitioner in each year since 1997.

Paul Clark: The information as requested is not available; however, while the separate figures are not available, the combined figures for the total number of driving licences revoked following a medical notification since 2004 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Number 
			 2008 32,011 
			 2007 33,083 
			 2006 26,912 
			 2005 23,388 
			 2004 25,334

Driving: Licensing

Mark Hunter: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the procedure for withdrawal of driving licences as a result of persons being medically unfit to drive; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: The Department for Transport is currently reviewing the system in place in Great Britain for ensuring that only those drivers who are fit to drive are licensed to do so. We are in the process of considering the complex issues raised in this review and intend to consult on how we can improve the service offered to all drivers.

East Coast Railway Line: Franchises

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport pursuant to the statement of 1 July 2009,  Official Report, columns 424-27, on National Express East Coast franchise, what recent assessment he has made of the viability of other franchises held by National Express.

Chris Mole: All rail franchises are formally regularly monitored through the monthly and quarterly franchise performance meetings. Both National Express East Anglia and National Express c2c are monitored in this way and are currently meeting their obligations under their franchise agreements.

East Coast Railway Line: Franchises

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport with reference to Chart 5 of his Department's publication, Franchise Evaluation Process Charts, May 2008, Selection of Winning Bid, whether the difference between the risk-adjusted net present value of the National Express East Coast bid for the Intercity East Coast Franchise and the risk-adjusted net prevent value of the next best bidder for the same franchise was greater than the materiality threshold, after an assessment of the affordability, compliance and deliverability of the bid had been completed.

Chris Mole: The Intercity East Coast Franchise was let on 13 August 2007. A January 2007 version of the Franchise Evaluation Process Charts was used in the evaluation process.
	The lead bidder's risk adjusted net present value and National Express East Coast risk-adjusted net present value were both within the materiality threshold as stated in the Franchise Evaluation Process Charts. The risk adjusted net present values included risk adjusted elements for specification compliance, deliverability and affordability.

East Coast Railway Line: Franchises

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport with reference to chart 4 of his Department's publication, Franchise Evaluation Process Charts, May 2008, categorisation of financial risk, whether his Department ascertained from National Express Group plc whether they were prepared to provide an additional unfettered facility or an on-demand loan to National Express East Coast; and whether the schedule 12 ratio fell below 1.05 per cent. at any time during the franchise.

Chris Mole: The Intercity East Coast Franchise was let on 13 August 2007. A January 2007 version of the Franchise Evaluation Process Charts was used in the evaluation process.
	As part of their submission, National Express Group committed a loan facility of £40 million that was sufficient to maintain the bid in the medium financial risk category and the schedule 12 ratio above 1.05 at any point during the franchise.

East Coast Railway Line: Franchises

Tom Harris: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport 
	(1)  whether the new franchise on the East Coast Main Line will be required to provide rail services to Glasgow;
	(2)  if he will require the specification for the new East Coast Main Line franchise in preparation by the Department to maintain services at or above the level of service in the franchise awarded to National Express East Coast.

Chris Mole: Work has now started to develop proposals for the specification of the replacement franchise. This will include looking at service patterns and destinations. The draft specification will be consulted on with stakeholders, including passenger groups, parliamentarians and the Scottish Executive.

Hazardous Waste

Andrew George: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what hazardous waste cargoes have been reported as having been lost overboard in UK waters since 1997 but have not been recovered; what packages containing hazardous goods were reported found in UK waters since 1 January 1997; what the  (a) date of finding,  (b) origin of the goods,  (c) nature of the incident giving rise to the deposit of the package and  (d) location of the find was in each case; and what reporting requirements apply in respect of such losses overboard (i) in UK waters and (ii) on UK-registered vessels carrying hazardous cargo.

Paul Clark: Details of hazardous cargoes lost overboard from ships in the UK pollution control zone are given in annual reports produced by the Advisory Committee on Protection of the Sea (ACOPS). ACOPS reports for 2001-07 are available on the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's website-under the Emergency Response menu-at:
	http://www.mcga.gov.uk
	To provide the specific details as requested would incur disproportionate costs.
	Reporting requirements for loss of cargo overboard are contained in the Statutory Instrument 1995 No. 2498-The Merchant Shipping (Reporting Requirements for Ships Carrying Dangerous or Polluting Goods) Regulations 1995. This can be found on the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's website at:
	http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga-mnotice.htm?textobjid=466274775289B019

Local Government Finance

Justine Greening: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport 
	(1)  which  (a) specific and  (b) area-based grants are distributed to local authorities by each division of his Department;
	(2)  what estimate has been made of the annual cost to  (a) his Department of distributing each grant made by it to local authorities and  (b) local authorities of administering each such grant;
	(3)  what  (a) eligibility conditions and  (b) compliance measures are in place in respect of the expenditure by local authorities of each grant distributed by his Department; and what recent estimate has been made of the annual cost to his Department of monitoring the compliance by local authorities with such measures in respect of each such grant.

Sadiq Khan: The Government believe in giving local authorities greater flexibility to take decisions on local priorities. The introduction of the area-based grant has reduced ring-fencing, giving councils increased flexibility to manage their budgets. Alongside this, the new local performance framework has provided a simplified and more effective structure for priority setting and performance measurement.
	The following specific revenue grants are being paid by the Department for Transport direct to local authorities in 2009-10:
	Urban and rural bus challenge, and Kick start
	Concessionary Travel
	Cycling and walking funding
	Urban congestion performance fund
	Pump-priming for the Transport Innovation Fund
	area-based grant is paid by Communities and Local Government on behalf of the Government as a whole. Funding streams from the Department which are being paid through area-based grant in 2009-10 are:
	revenue funding for detrunked roads
	revenue funding for road safety
	rural bus subsidy.
	The Department does not routinely estimate the costs of distributing grant each year, although it does consider the cost effectiveness of proposals as part of the policy development process. It also assesses whether there will be any new burdens on local authorities, and ensures that these are fully funded when a policy is implemented.
	As area-based grant is not ring-fenced, it comes with no specific conditions or compliance requirements.
	Eligibility conditions and compliance measures vary with each specific revenue grant. I am placing in the House of Commons Library a copy of all Grant Determinations for 2009-10 made by the Department. These set out the purpose of the grant and grant conditions.
	The Department is also making available substantial capital support to local authorities in 2009-10. Information on grant arrangements for such support is on the Department's website.

Motorcycles: Licensing

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many and what percentage of motorcyclists were driving on a provisional licence in each year since 1997.

Paul Clark: The following statistics reflect the number of drivers held on the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency database holding motorcycle entitlement. Percentages are shown for both full and provisional motorcycle licence holders in Great Britain:
	
		
			   Full/provisional  Provisional  Percentage provisional  Percentage full 
			 1997 22,832,732 21,368,520 94 6 
			 1998 23,760,048 22,302,028 94 6 
			 1999 24,639,737 23,203,452 94 6 
			 2000 25,403,909 23,996,248 94 6 
			 2001 26,288,998 24,879,335 95 5 
			 2002 27,667,609 26,268,281 95 5 
			 2003 29,169,100 27,806,069 95 5 
			 2004 30,759,591 29,446,216 96 4 
			 2005 32,404,429 31,180,161 96 4 
			 2006 34,589,872 33,362,453 96 4 
			 2007 37,382,194 36,179,419 97 3 
			 2008 40,073,283 39,104,336 98 2 
			 2009 41,246,796 40,771,889 99 1

Motorways: Repairs and Maintenance

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many miles of motorway will be subject to road works in each region on England in August 2009; and what estimate he has made of the number of days on which traffic flow is likely to be affected by each such roadwork.

Chris Mole: The number of miles of motorway that will be subject to road works in each region in England in August 2009 are detailed in the following table:
	
		
			  Region  Total number of miles of motorway that will be subject to road works in August 2009  Approximate estimate of the number of road works schemes taking place on the motorway in August 2009 
			 East 35.8 11 
			 East Midlands 15 1 
			 North West 303.1 190 
			 South East 22.5 9 
			 South West 34 8 
			 West Midlands 288 52 
			 Yorkshire and North East 209.3 69 
		
	
	The number of days on which traffic flow is likely to be affected varies considerably according to the type of road works being undertaken in each region.

Railways

Celia Barlow: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will take steps to require train operating companies to abide by their contractual obligations to increase paper waste recycling and reduce electricity usage; and what recent representations he has received from train operating companies on the matter.

Chris Mole: The Department for Transport is committed to including environmental objectives such as reducing energy consumption and increasing recycling in all franchises. Once these are agreed, they are monitored by the Department as part of the normal franchise management process. Earlier this month, officials discussed with train operators how to embed a wide range of sustainability issues, such as recycling and energy consumption in future franchises.

Railways: Fares

Tom Harris: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what proposals his Department is considering in relation to changes to the regime governing regulation of rail fares.

Chris Mole: My noble Friend, the then Minister of State for Transport announced in February that the increase in the cap for regulated fares (usually the retail prices index + 1 per cent.) will, in general, be applied to individual regulated fares next year as well as to baskets of fares. We also intend to regulate the rail Oyster Pay as You Go fares when these are introduced.

Railways: Finance

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how much capital funding the Government has allocated to the rail network in  (a) West Derbyshire and  (b) England in each of the last five years.

Chris Mole: The information is not available in the form requested. A breakdown of annual expenditure by mode and region is available in the Department for Transport's Annual Report. Details of total historic expenditure are available in National Rail Trends which is published by the Office of Rail Regulation. Copies of these documents are available in the Library of the House.

Railways: Floods

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what steps his Department has taken to ensure the continued operation of the rail network in the North East in the event of flooding.

Chris Mole: Network Rail has contingency plans in place to deal with such incidents. In addition, the review into the 2007 floods conducted by Sir Michael Pitt provided a recommended action for the rail industry to develop plans to provide emergency welfare support to passengers stranded on the rail network. As a result, the Department for Transport has worked with Network Rail to review the current practice in relation to the recommendation.

Railways: Franchises

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport whether train operating companies which hold more than one franchise and default on the conditions for one franchise may retain the remaining franchises.

Chris Mole: There are cross-default provisions in all franchise agreements. The Secretary of State will consider the individual circumstances of the case in reaching a decision as to whether to apply them. The decision whether to cross-default can only be taken once one of the franchises has been terminated.

Road Traffic Act 1988

Mark Hunter: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport on how many occasions inquiries into road accidents under section 180 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 have been held.

Paul Clark: No inquiries have been held under section 180 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

Severn Bridge: Tolls

Jessica Morden: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent progress has been made on introducing facilities for payment of Severn crossing tolls by credit and debit card.

Sadiq Khan: Detailed discussions are currently taking place with the Severn Crossings Concessionaire to resolve both technical and financial issues. This will then permit payment of tolls by credit and debit cards.
	We recognise the importance of implementing card payments for the Severn crossings and are working to introduce this as soon as possible.

Transport: Finance

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what funding  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies have given to the Campaign for Better Transport in each of the last three years; and for what purpose.

Sadiq Khan: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 7 July 2009,  Official Report, column 639W.

Transport: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how much local transport grant his Department has allocated to City of York Unitary Council in each year since its creation; and what criteria are used to determine the amount of grant allocated to each local authority.

Sadiq Khan: The Department for Transport provides integrated transport block and highways maintenance funding to local transport authorities to support capital investment in transport, which may be used for a range of purposes as the authorities see fit. Funding allocated to the City of York is as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   Integrated Transport  Highways Maintenance  Total pre-LTP Funding( 1) 
			 2008-09 3.737 1.379 - 
			 2007-08 4.141 1.419 - 
			 2006-07 4.478 1.386 - 
			 2005-06 4.9 1.325 - 
			 2004-05 4.84 1.462 - 
			 2003-04 4.7 1.281 - 
			 2002-03 4.4 1.155 - 
			 2001-02 4.9 1.095 - 
			 2000-01 1.55 0.712 - 
			 1999-2000 - - 1.983 
			 1998-99 - - 1.127 
			 1997-98 - - 2.212 
			 (1) Since 2000 the allocations comprise integrated transport block grant and highways maintenance. Prior to 2000 the allocations are in the form of gross approved spending. 
		
	
	Details on the allocation of funding to local authorities can be found on the Department's website at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/regional/ltp/

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agricultural Shows

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government are taking to support  (a) the Royal agricultural show,  (b) the Lancashire show and  (c) other agricultural shows.

Jim Fitzpatrick: DEFRA does not financially support agricultural shows but instead ensures that there is a departmental presence at a number of agricultural shows over the summer months.
	At this year's Royal Show DEFRA has its own bespoke stand as well as a trailer, based in the livestock and agriculture area. The Secretary of State and other Ministers visited the show throughout its duration. The chief veterinary officer, deputy veterinary officer and director general for farming also attended.
	The Lancashire show is not taking place in 2009. However DEFRA did attend the 2008 Show.
	DEFRA Ministers or officials are attending an additional 13 other agricultural shows-a mix of regional and sector events-during June to September 2009. DEFRA has a bespoke trailer at the majority of these shows.

Agriculture: Regulation

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans there are to reduce the regulatory burden on farmers.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Our plans for reducing burdens on the farming industry and progress so far is set out in 'Better Regulation, Better Business' our Simplification Plan published in December 2008, which includes measures that contribute to reducing the administrative (red tape) burden on farmers by 25 per cent. by 2010.
	Burdens on farmers can be reduced in many ways. These include matching regulatory requirements to business practice, and reducing duplication of effort, for example by co-ordinating inspections so that a single visit covers multiple activities. DEFRA is working in partnership with its agencies, especially RPA, to develop online transactional services of which Whole Farm Approach is the leading example. Fast and easy access to advice and guidance is also available online, via the farming theme on BusinessLink.
	We are engaging farmers' representatives in identifying more things that might be done to reduce burdens, and responding to suggestions submitted via the 90-day portal, hosted on the BIS website at:
	http://www.betterregulation.gov.uk
	which allows anyone to submit their ideas for simplification.

Agriculture: Subsidies

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many payments under the single payment scheme in relation to farms in  (a) Lancashire and  (b) Chorley constituency were outstanding on the latest date for which figures are available.

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many payments under the single payment scheme in relation to farms in  (a) Hemel Hempstead,  (b) Dacorum and  (c) Hertfordshire were outstanding on the latest date for which figures are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The rural payments agency does not record information on payments to farmers on a regional basis. The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Animal Health Agency: Consultants

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the Animal Health Agency spent on consultants in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Animal Health employ a range of consultants such as project managers, systems implementation specialists, systems testers, business/requirements analysts, planning and delivery consultants, benefits realisation managers, change management and trainers (IT specialists).
	The following table shows the amount that Animal Health spent on consultants in each of the last four years. Unfortunately, figures cannot be obtained for years prior to Animal Health being formed.
	
		
			   Total spend on consultants( 1)  (£ million) 
			 2005-06 1.852 
			 2006-07 3.333 
			 2007-08 3.708 
			 2008-09 3.555 
			 (1) Data were taken from Animal Health's published annual accounts.

Birds: Imports

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from which countries outside the EU birds of species  (a) listed and  (b) not listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species have been imported into the UK in each of the last five years; and for what purposes they have been imported.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES) database, which holds information on imports into the UK, does not distinguish between species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and species not so listed, and does not hold information on the purpose of imports.
	Table 1 shows the data obtained from the TRACES database for all bird species (for non-EU imports).
	Table 2 shows the data on CITES species held by the Wildlife Licensing and Registration Service in Animal Health (for non-EU imports).
	 Notes:
	1. Only the commodity code (birds of prey/parrots/other birds) is recorded on TRACES rather than the full species name.
	2. The TRACES system was not in operation prior to 2004.
	
		
			  Table 1: Imports of all birds as recorded on TRACES 
			   Exporting countries 
			 2004 UAE, Australia, Barbados, Bahrain, Benin, Brazil, Canada, Switzerland, Ivory Coast, China, Czechoslovakia, Egypt, Ghana, Guinea, Guyana, Hong Kong, Heard and McDonald Islands, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Mali, Malaysia, Niger, Nigeria, Peru, Russian Federation, Solomon Islands, Singapore, Senegal, Suriname, El Salvador, Thailand, Turkey, Tanzania, Ukraine, Uganda, United States, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, South Africa 
			   
			 2005 UAE, Australia, Barbados, Bahrain, Benin, Brazil, Canada, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Switzerland, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Cuba, Egypt, Ghana, Guinea, Guyana, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, Nicaragua, Peru, Philippines, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Sudan, Singapore, Senegal, Suriname, Chad, Togo, Taiwan, Tanzania, Ukraine, Uganda, United States, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Zambia 
			   
			 2006 Argentina, Australia, Barbados, Benin, Brazil, Canada, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Switzerland, Cameroon, Cuba, Egypt, Georgia, Ghana, Guyana, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Jordan, Madagascar, Mauritius, Malaysia, Philippines, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Suriname, El Salvador, Turkey, Tanzania, Ukraine, Uganda, United States, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, South Africa, Zambia 
			   
			 2007 UAE, Australia, Barbados, Benin, Brazil, Canada, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Switzerland, Cuba, Egypt, Ghana, Guatemala, Guyana, Indonesia, Macedonia, Malaysia, Philippines, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, Seychelles, Sudan, Singapore, Suriname, Turkey, Tanzania, Uganda, United States, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, South Africa, Zambia 
			   
			 2008 UAE, Barbados, Bahrain, Benin, Brazil, Canada, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, Egypt, Ghana, Gibraltar, Guyana, Indonesia, Israel, India, Japan, Madagascar, Macedonia, Mauritius, Malaysia, Nigeria, Philippines, Russian Federation, Sudan, Senegal, Suriname, Turkey, Taiwan, Tanzania, Ukraine, United states, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Imports of CITES listed birds for the last five years (information supplied by Wildlife Licensing and Registration Service in Animal Health)-recorded countries of export and purpose of import 
			   Exporting country  Recorded purposes of imports 
			 2004 Australia Personal 
			  Canada Personal; trade 
			  Czech Republic Trade 
			  Egypt Personal 
			  Guinea Trade 
			  Guyana Trade 
			  Ivory Coast Trade 
			  Japan Trade 
			  Jersey Breeding in captivity; travelling exhibition and circuses; trade; zoos 
			  Kazakhstan Breeding in captivity; trade 
			  Kenya Personal 
			  Kuwait Personal 
			  Namibia Trade 
			  Peru Trade 
			  Philippines Breeding in captivity 
			  Qatar Personal; trade 
			  Russian Federation Breeding in captivity 
			  Solomon Islands Trade 
			  South Africa Breeding in captivity; personal; trade 
			  Suriname Personal 
			  Switzerland Zoo 
			  Tanzania, United Republic of Zoo 
			  United Arab Emirates Breeding in captivity 
			  United States of America Breeding in captivity; personal 
			  Venezuela Trade 
			  Zambia Personal 
			  Zimbabwe Personal 
			
			 2005 Australia Personal 
			  Bahrain Breeding in captivity; trade 
			  Cameroon Trade 
			  Canada Personal 
			  Chad Trade 
			  Egypt Personal 
			  Guinea Trade 
			  Guyana Trade 
			  Isle of Man Personal 
			  Ivory Coast Trade 
			  Jersey Breeding in captivity; personal; trade; scientific; zoos 
			  Kazakhstan Trade 
			  Namibia Trade 
			  Philippines Breeding in captivity 
			  Qatar Personal 
			  Russian Federation Reintroduction or introduction into the wild 
			  Singapore Personal 
			  South Africa Personal 
			  Suriname Trade 
			  Switzerland Zoos 
			  Taiwan Trade 
			  Tanzania, United Republic of Zoos 
			  Trinidad and Tobago Personal 
			  United Arab Emirates Personal; zoos 
			  United States of America Personal; zoos 
			  Zimbabwe Trade 
			
			 2006 Australia Personal 
			  Canada Personal 
			  Gambia Personal 
			  Guernsey Trade 
			  Philippines Breeding in captivity 
			  Russian Federation Reintroduction or introduction into the wild 
			  South Africa Personal 
			  Switzerland Zoos 
			  United Arab Emirates Personal 
			  United States of America Breeding in captivity; personal 
			  Zimbabwe Personal 
			
			 2007 Alderney Personal 
			  Bahrain Personal 
			  Canada Breeding in captivity 
			  Ghana Personal 
			  Guatemala Personal 
			  Guernsey Personal 
			  Israel Personal 
			  Jersey Zoos 
			  Kuwait Personal 
			  Norway Reintroduction or introduction into the wild 
			  Philippines Breeding in captivity 
			  Russian Federation Reintroduction or introduction into the wild 
			  South Africa Personal 
			  Switzerland Zoos 
			  United Arab Emirates Breeding in captivity; personal 
			  United States of America Breeding in captivity; educational; personal; zoos 
			  Zimbabwe Personal 
			
			 2008 Bahrain Personal 
			  Canada Personal 
			  China Personal 
			  Cuba Zoos 
			  Democratic Republic of Congo Breeding in captivity 
			  Ghana Personal 
			  Israel Zoos 
			  Jersey Zoos 
			  Kenya Personal 
			  Norway Reintroduction or introduction into the wild 
			  Russian Federation Personal; reintroduction or introduction into the wild 
			  South Africa Personal 
			  Tanzania, United Republic of Personal 
			  United Arab Emirates Breeding in captivity 
			  United States of America Breeding in captivity; personal; zoos 
		
	
	CITES species listed on appendix III do not require CITES permits to be issued to enable their import to take place. They do however require import notifications to be made. The country of export is recorded on import notifications, but not the purpose of the import.
	The table shows details of exporting countries for which import notifications were issued (for imports into the UK).
	
		
			   Exporting countries 
			 2004 Mali; South Africa 
			 2005 Chad; Ghana; Guinea; Jersey; Senegal; United States of America 
			 2006 One notification made but 'exporting country' not entered 
			 2007 Japan 
			 2008 Jersey

Birds: Imports

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many birds of each species  (a) listed and  (b) not listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species were recorded as being imported into the (i) EU and (ii) UK on the Trade Control and Expert System database in each year since 2000; and of those recorded as being imported into the UK how many in each category were imported from countries (A) within and (B) not part of the EU in each year.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES) database does not distinguish between species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and species not so listed. It is therefore not possible to make the distinction requested at items  (a) and  (b) of the question.
	It is not possible to supply the information requested at item (i) since we do not have access to EU-wide statistics: each member state would need to advise on numbers imported separately.
	The information we hold on the numbers of birds imported into the UK from within and outside the EU according to the TRACES database for each year since 2000 is shown in the tables.
	 N ote s :
	1. Only the commodity code (birds of prey/parrots/other birds) is recorded on TRACES rather than the full species name.
	2. The TRACES system was not in operation prior to 2004.
	3. 'Other Birds' imported from within the EU will include pheasant/partridge day-old chicks incorrectly entered under the 'Other Birds' code by other member states (this will have therefore increased figures).
	
		
			  Birds recorded on TRACES as having been imported into the UK from within the EU 
			   TRACES Commodity code  Number 
			 2004 Birds of Prey 7 
			  Parrots 24,458 
			  Other Birds 24,260 
			  Total 48,725 
			
			 2005 Birds of Prey 38 
			  Parrots 57,885 
			  Other Birds 2,991,995 
			  Total 3,049,918 
			
			 2006 Birds of Prey 27 
			  Parrots 159,396 
			  Other Birds 3,168,705 
			  Total 3,328,128 
			
			 2007 Birds of Prey 32 
			  Parrots 243,006 
			  Other Birds 4,130,388 
			  Total 4,373,426 
			
			 2008 Birds of Prey 52 
			  Parrots 24,593 
			  Other Birds 6,186,499 
			  Total 6,211,144 
			 2009 (1 January 2009 to 30 June 2009) Birds of Prey 9 
			  Parrots 14,224 
			  Other Birds 4,850,244 
			  Total 4,864,477 
			
			  Grand total 21,875,818 
		
	
	
		
			  Birds recorded on TRACES as having been imported into the UK from outside the EU 
			   TRACES Commodity code  Number 
			 2004 Birds of Prey 4 
			  Parrots 17,539 
			  Other Birds 31,644 
			  Total 49,187 
			
			 2005 Birds of Prey 162 
			  Parrots 17,838 
			  Other Birds 53,898 
			  Total 71,898 
			
			 2006 Birds of Prey 17 
			  Parrots 234 
			  Other Birds 40 
			  Total 291 
			
			 2007 Birds of Prey 192 
			  Parrots 31 
			  Other Birds 67 
			  Total 290 
			
			 2008 Birds of Prey 28 
			  Parrots 30 
			  Other Birds 31 
			  Total 89 
			
			 2009 (1 January 2009 to 30 June 2009) Birds of Prey 26 
			  Parrots 8 
			  Other Birds 186 
			  Total 220 
			
			  Grand total 121,975

Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his estimate is of the number of  (a) dog exclusion orders and  (b) dogs on leads orders introduced by local authorities under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005; what proportion of such orders in each category have affected land classified as open access land under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000; and how many such orders in each category affect access to land of which Natural England has been notified.

Huw Irranca-Davies: We do not hold figures on the number of dog exclusion orders and dogs on leads orders introduced by local authorities under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 or the proportion of such orders that have affected land classified as open access land. However, I am aware that Natural England has been consulted by local authorities on five Dog Control Orders where a proposal to make an Order would affect open access land mapped under the Countryside and Right of Way Act 2000.

Compost

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the report on research by the Environment Agency and Cranfield University on bioaerosol emissions from composting sites; what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department's waste and recycling policies of the findings of that research; and if he will make a statement.

Dan Norris: I have placed a copy of the report in question in the Library.
	The research leading to the report was commissioned by the Environment Agency in order to review and assess aspects of the risk assessment of open-air composting facilities, in particular in relation to bioaerosols. Although the work has helped to improve the Agency's monitoring and evaluation of the risks posed by bioaerosols it did not support a change to the current 250m risk assessment limit for the proximity of residential or commercial properties. As further research emerges it will be carefully reviewed by DEFRA and the Environment Agency.

Departmental Procurement

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what changes have been made to his Department's  (a) office equipment and  (b) stationery purchasing policy in the last six months.

Dan Norris: There have been no changes to the Department's  (a) office equipment and  (b) stationery purchasing policy in the last six months. DEFRA's policy remains the acquisition of sustainable goods, based on best value for money.

Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance the Waste and Resources Action Programme has provided to local authorities on alternate weekly waste collections since its establishment.

Dan Norris: The Waste and Resources Action Programme published the report 'Alternate Weekly Collections Guidance' in July 2007. This document replaced a previous guidance document published in 2005.

Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will direct the Waste and Resources Action Programme to assess the effect on recycling rates of household waste of the use of wheeled refuse containers.

Dan Norris: The DEFRA funded Waste and Resources Action Programme has an ongoing programme of research to assess the effectiveness of different collection systems and to provide advice to local authorities. This will include consideration of the different kerbside containers available as part of the overall collection system.

EU Grants and Loans

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information his Department holds on the subsidies granted by the European Commission to EU member states in each of the last five years; and what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the criteria applied to applications for such subsidies.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The European Commission list direct aids to farmers as presented in Table 1. Producers must comply with a number of criteria in order to qualify, with the most significant being that production is required for receipt of coupled direct aids, but not decoupled aids.
	
		
			  Table 1: EU direct aids for Budget years 2004 - 08 
			  €million 
			   2008  2007  2006  2005  2004 
			  Decoupled direct aids  
			 Single Payment Scheme 28,234 28,119 14,226 0 0 
			 Single Area Payment Scheme 2,974 2,083 1,721 1,449 0 
			 Separate sugar payment 206 167 0 0 0 
			 Separate fruit and vegetables payment 0 0 0 0 0 
			   
			  Other direct aids  
			 Arable Crops 1,781 1,853 7,951 17,158 17,095 
			 Beef 1,641 1,697 2,637 7,730 7,312 
			 Sheep and Goats 314 330 907 1,837 1,471 
			 Dairy 0 0 1,454 1,370 0 
			 POSEI 410 81 81 185 110 
			 Fruit and Vegetables(1) 104 202 255 483 595 
			 Sugar 25 17 0 0 0 
			 Rice 168 173 261 427 110 
			 Olive groves 99 119 2,312 2,240 2,302 
			 Tobacco 301 336 811 918 924 
			 Silkworms 1 1 0 0 0 
			 Cotton 248 254 0 0 0 
			 Payments for specific types of farming and quality production 435 420 199 0 0 
			 Other (direct aids) - 761 958 75 0 
			 Additional amounts of aid 563 434 316 0 0 
			 Ancillary direct aids, small producers, agrimonetary aids, etc.) 0 0 0 4 1 
			 Recoveries 0 0 -39 -21 -12 
			 Total 37,505 37,046 34,051 33,856 29,908 
			 (1 )Includes starch potatoes and grain legumes.  Source:  Provisional Draft Budget 2010 and previous budgets, EC. 
		
	
	The UK has argued forcefully for further decoupling of aid payments from production in order to reduce market distortions, and the 2008 Health Check made a step in this direction, decoupling approximately a further €3 billion of direct payments. This increases the level of decoupled support from around 89 per cent. of all direct farm payments to around 96 per cent. The payments currently scheduled for decoupling and the relevant dates are presented in Table 2.
	
		
			  Table 2: Direct aids scheduled to be decoupled 
			  Sector  Current situation  When/how to be phased out 
			 Fruit and vegetables The EU Processed Fruit and Vegetables Regime was subject to major reform in 2007, with agreement reached on a phased approach to full decoupling: Tomatoes for processing-1 January 2012 
			   Tomatoes for processing-member states may allow a maximum four year transitional period provided that the coupled element of the payment does not exceed 50 per cent. of the corresponding component of the national ceiling  
			   Other processing aids-member states may allow a maximum five year transitional period until at the latest 31 December 2012, provided that after 31 December 2010, the coupled proportion of the payment does not exceed 75 per cent. of the corresponding component of the national ceiling in 2011 and 2012 respectively. Other processing aids-1 January 2013 
			 Sugar There are no direct aids in the sugar sector, but there is a transitional fund to help the sugar sector restructure. The transitional aid is due to end in 2010 
			  There are also separate sugar payments as part of the Single Payment Scheme.  
			
			 Tobacco Progressive reduction in coupled support from 2006 to 2010. 2010 
			
			 Crops Member states may retain partial coupled payments in: Full decoupling from 2010 and integration into Single Payment Scheme (SPS) 
			  Arable Crops Payments (up to 25 per cent.)  
			  Durum Wheat Quality Supplement (up to 40 per cent.)  
			  Hops (up to 25 per cent.)  
			
			 Olive oil Aid for olive groves could remain up to 40 per cent. coupled. Full decoupling in 2010 and integration in SPS 
			
			 Livestock Member states may retain coupled payments in: Slaughter premium for young animals, slaughter premium for adult animals and Special beef premium: Full decoupling from 2012 onwards and integration into SPS. No change in suckler cow and sheep and goatmeat. 
			  Suckler Cow Premium (up to 100 per cent.)  
			  Special beef premium (up to 75 per cent.),  
			  Slaughter Premium (up to 40 per cent. for adults and 100 per cent. for calves)  
			  Sheep and Goats (up to 50 per cent.).  
			
			 Flax and Hemp Option of 25 per cent. partial coupling as arable crops area payment. Short fibre flax to be phased out in 2008-09. Long fibre flax to be increased to €40/tonne in 2009-10. Decouple long fibre flax processing aid and integrate into SPS from 2012. 
			
			 Dried Fodder Retain processing aid (per tonne, uniform for dehydrated and dried fodder) Decouple processing aid and integrate into SPS in 2012 
			
			 Starch potato Aid for starch producers (60 per cent. of pre-2003 level) paid per tonne of starch delivered. A transformation aid is granted to the manufacturers per tonne of potato starch with guaranteed minimum prices within the quota limit. Finally, production refunds for starch are granted when using starch for the production of certain goods. Decouple aid to growers and integrate into SPS from 2012 at the latest; decouple processing aid and integrate into SPS in 2012 
			
			 Energy crop premium Aid of EUR 45 per hectare for energy crops for the production of biofuels and electric and thermal energy produced from biomass Abolish in 2010 
			
			 Durum Wheat Aid of EUR 40 per hectare, granted subject to the use of certain quantities of certified seeds of varieties recognised as being of high quality for the production of semolina or pasta. Full decoupling and integration into SPS in 2010. 
			
			 Protein crops Aid of EUR 55.57 per hectare of protein crops (peas, field beans, lupins). Decouple and integrate into SPS in 2012 at the latest. 
			
			 Specific payment for rice Aid per hectare, the value set according to the yields in the member states concerned Decouple and integrate into SPS in 2012 at the latest. 
			
			 Nuts Aid per hectare granted to farmers producing nuts, with a possibility of granting additional national aid. Decouple and integrate into SPS in 2012 at the latest. 
		
	
	It is a condition of all direct payments that claimants both keep their land in 'good agricultural and environmental condition' (GAEC), as defined by member states in accordance with a set EU framework, and comply with 18 statutory management requirements (existing EU regulatory environmental, public, animal and plant health and animal welfare requirements).
	The UK "Vision for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)" is clear that by 2015 to 2020, CAP Pillar 1 should be phased out completely. Instead, payments to farmers should be targeted at delivering public benefits, including environmental benefits, through a re-shaped Pillar 2.

Eggs: Labelling

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will take steps to ensure that eggs are labelled clearly to indicate the method by which the chickens which produced the eggs are farmed.

Jim Fitzpatrick: All eggs sold at retail and to catering (i.e. class A eggs) must already be labelled with the method of production and the eggs must be stamped on their shells with a code which must be explained on the labelling.
	This code identifies the method of production, country of origin and the establishment. The code will start with a number to distinguish production method, this should be '0' = Organic, '1' = Free Range, '2' = Barn, '3' = Eggs from Caged Hens. This will be followed by two letters denoting country of origin (e.g. 'UK') followed by a code (numbers sometimes with letters) identifying the registered production site.

Environment Agency: Pay

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was paid in bonuses to  (a) directors,  (b) senior managers,  (c) specialist and delivery managers and  (d) executive support and administration staff in the Environment Agency in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The following table shows performance-related pay paid by the Environment Agency over the last five years.
	These payments are awarded to reflect success for performance across a range of objectives which are set and agreed with Government. The Environment Agency's annual report details its overall performance against its objectives and gives details of directors' remuneration, including performance-related pay.
	These payments are only made to directors and senior managers. The Environment Agency currently has 155 senior managers and directors.
	
		
			  Total value of performance-related pay over last five years 
			  £ 
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Director (9) 92,178 95,883 101,970 113,715 127,396 
			 Senior Manager (av. 133) 655,546 739,625 843,141 870,264 1,222,480 
			 Manager n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Specialist n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Executive Support and Administration Staff n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Total 747,724 835,508 945,112 983,979 1,349,876 
		
	
	The average percentage paid as performance-related pay per eligible employee over the last five years has been 10 per cent. For 2008-09, the Environment Agency has decided to cap performance-related pay in line with civil service practice.

Environment Protection: Prosecutions

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many prosecutions resulted in  (a) convictions and  (b) custodial sentences for offences related to (i) water resources, (ii) flood defences, (iii) fisheries, (iv) navigation, (v) process industry regulation, (vi) radioactive substances, (vii) waste and (viii) water quality as recorded in the National Enforcement Database in each year since 1997.

Huw Irranca-Davies: holding answer 13 July 2009
	 The table shows the number of convictions (1) and custodial sentences (2) for environmental offences recorded in the National Enforcement Database in each financial year from 1999 to 2008.
	The national enforcement database came online in April 1999. Data are therefore not available for 1997, 1998 and the first three months of 1999.
	
		
			   Fisheries( 1)  Flood defence  Navigation  Process industry regulation  Radioactive substances  Waste  Water quality  Water resources 
			  1999 (April-December) 
			 Convictions 1 4 3 6 3 314 220 10 
			 Custodial sentences 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 
			  
			  2000 
			 Convictions 29 1 6 12 3 409 229 21 
			 Custodial sentences 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 
			  
			  2001 
			 Convictions 22 2 3 8 11 472 223 10 
			 Custodial sentences 0 0 0 0 0 11 0 0 
			  
			  2002 
			 Convictions 50 1 14 3 1 516 232 11 
			 Custodial sentences 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 
			  
			  2003 
			 Convictions 44 5 34 5 3 424 170 6 
			 Custodial sentences 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 0 
			  
			  2004 
			 Convictions 40 9 38 1 2 434 184 19 
			 Custodial sentences 0 0 0 0 0 6 1 0 
			  
			  2005 
			 Convictions 78 8 35 4 1 507 227 10 
			 Custodial sentences 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 
			  
			  2006 
			 Convictions 51 4 37 1 1 427 190 5 
			 Custodial sentences 0 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 
			  
			  2007 
			 Convictions 74 6 31 0 0 486 184 17 
			 Custodial sentences 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 
			  
			  2008 
			 Convictions 72 8 33 1 3 444 138 9 
			 Custodial sentences 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 
			 (1) Figures given for fisheries cover only freshwater/inland fisheries and non-rod and line fishing offences.

Fluoride: Drinking Water

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 17 June 2009,  Official Report, column 380W, on fluoride: drinking water, what assessment the Drinking Water Inspectorate made of the adequacy of the remedial action taken by Hartlepool Water following the addition of excessive levels of fluoride to the water supply in 2000.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The failure of a sample taken by Hartlepool Water to meet the prescribed standard for fluoride arose in 2004 when two boreholes containing water having naturally occurring fluoride in excess of the standard were pumped simultaneously. This was not a situation where fluoride was being added to the water. Normally water from these boreholes would have been blended with water from other boreholes with a lower natural fluoride concentration. The Inspectorate was satisfied that the change in pumping arrangements put in place by the company after the incident was effective in preventing a recurrence of excessive levels of fluoride. Since this time, all further tests by Hartlepool Water for fluoride have met the required standard.

Food: Labelling

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department provides  (a) financial and  (b) other support to the RSPCA in respect of its Freedom Food Initiative.

Jim Fitzpatrick: DEFRA has not provided ongoing financial support to RSPCA for its Freedom Foods initiative but did award a grant of £139,000 in February 2002 under the Agriculture Development Scheme to support the development of the scheme.

Food: Prices

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average farm gate price of lamb was in the most recent period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: In June 2009 the average farm gate price of UK lambs was 383 pence per kilogram deadweight. This was 25 pence per kilogram higher than the average for June 2008. Monthly average prices from January 2008 onwards are shown in the following table. The seasonal nature of lamb prices can been seen in the 2008 figures.
	
		
			  Average UK farm gate lamb price (pence per kilogram deadweight) 
			   2008  2009 
			 January 226 335 
			 February 265 368 
			 March 288 372 
			 April 329 415 
			 May 337 415 
			 June 358 383 
			 July 296 - 
			 August 280 - 
			 September 290 - 
			 October 276 - 
			 November 268 - 
			 December 280 - 
			  Source:  AHDB Meat Services (EU Market Report, sheep meat reference prices).

Futuresource Conference

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the presentation and handouts delivered by representatives of  (a) the Environment Agency,  (b) Waste and Resources Action Programme and  (c) his Department on (i) municipal waste issues and policy, (ii) household waste prevention and (iii) principles of a good collection service at the Futuresource Conference held in London between 9 to 11 June 2009.

Dan Norris: I am arranging for copies of the presentations and the handout delivered at the Futuresource Conference by representatives of the Waste and Resources Action Programme and DEFRA to be placed in the Library of the House. The Chairman of the Environment Agency delivered his speech from bullet points and as such, there is no copy of his presentation.

Landfill

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) of 12 February 2009,  Official Report, column 2152W, on the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme, if he will introduce a mechanism to determine the amount of waste diverted by home composting in order to allow such composting to count towards the landfill allowance trading scheme.

Dan Norris: DEFRA is working with the Environment Agency and the DEFRA funded Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to consider whether a robust mechanism for calculating the amount of waste diverted by home composting can be developed. This work is ongoing.
	In response to the operational review of the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme, DEFRA agreed to review again the position of home composting in relation to the scheme after the first target year in 2010.

Marine and Coastal Access Bill

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he has made an estimate of the likely amount of compensation payable if the provisions of Part 9 of the Marine and Coastal Access Bill relating to the English coastal route were given effect under existing legislation.

Huw Irranca-Davies: There are no provisions in the Marine and Coastal Access Bill to pay compensation. The Bill requires Natural England and the Secretary of State to aim to strike a fair balance between the interests of landowners and the interests of the general public. The careful and considered identification of the route in consultation with landowners and others will allow Natural England to avoid creating situations where compensation would be required and will mean that any impacts on business and property will be minimised.
	The Bill was amended during its passage through the House of Lords to introduce a procedure for an appointed person to review objections to a proposal in a report by Natural England. This will provide additional safeguards for landowners and occupiers.
	Natural England will also consult with landowners when deciding any conditions or restrictions on access, for example for land management purposes. Natural England will also be able to revisit decisions about alignment and the need for restrictions in the light of experience of actual impacts or changes to the situation.

Marine and Coastal Access Bill

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to his contribution of 23 June 2009,  Official Report, column 700, on the Marine and Coastal Access Bill  [Lords], what criteria he plans to use in deciding whether to approve changes to terms and conditions for staff of the Marine and Fisheries Agency.

Huw Irranca-Davies: Staff transferring to the Marine Management Organisation from the Marine and Fisheries Agency will do so under the Cabinet Office Statement of Practice, following the principles contained in the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006. There will be no detriment to them in relation to pay or terms and conditions of employment at the point of transfer. Any future changes to terms and conditions would only happen following proper consultation with the relevant trade unions and would be on the condition that there would not be any detriment to their current terms and conditions.

Marine and Fisheries Agency: Finance

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the monthly  (a) staffing,  (b) travel and  (c) accommodation costs for the operation of the Marine and Fisheries Agency offices in London and Tyneside.

Huw Irranca-Davies: Broad estimates of the costs of a coastal location as opposed to a London headquarters formed part of the business case for relocation. Cost savings are not the primary driver for locating the Marine and Fisheries Agency at a coastal location. However, operating in Tyneside as opposed to London will offer savings on staff costs, by virtue of paying national rather than London rates for new staff recruited there, and accommodation costs by virtue of lower rental costs outside London. Travel costs are not expected to differ significantly.

Marine Management Organisation

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which organisations proposed that the Marine Management Organisation should be a non-departmental public body in their responses to his Department's consultation on the creation of that body.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The Marine Bill consultation in 2006 set out options for the status of the Marine Management Organisation. The 'Summary of Responses' to that consultation, which is available on the departmental website, states that only a few responses made specific comments on the status that would be appropriate for the Marine Management Organisation. However, a large number of responses took the general opportunity to insist that the Marine Management Organisation should be neutral and independent from Government.
	Careful consideration was given to the most appropriate status for the MMO, and responses to that consultation were taken into account. Final agreement on non-departmental public body status for the MMO was reached at a cross-departmental meeting in January 2007.
	Non-departmental public body status was considered to be the most appropriate given the functions that the Marine Management Organisation is designed to deliver, together with the fact that those services will be delivered by the Marine Management Organisation on behalf of a number of Government Departments.

Pollution: Fines

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been levied in fines by the Environment Agency against  (a) companies,  (b) local authorities and  (c) individuals with regard to incidences of each type of pollution (i) in total and (ii) in each region in each year since 1997; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of fines so levied in preventing further incidences of pollution by (A) those upon whom such fines have been levied and (B) others; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 13 July 2009
	 This matter falls within the remit of the Environment Agency; the Health and Safety Executive does not levy pollution-related fines.
	The relevant Environment Agency national enforcement database reports have been placed in the Library of the House. The national enforcement database came online in April 1999. Data are therefore not available for 1997, 1998 and the first three months of 1999.
	The national enforcement database has categories for individuals and companies, but local authorities are classified with "other legal entities". The reports provided here titled "other" therefore include local authorities along with other non-commercial corporate entities.
	The Environment Agency will prosecute a serious pollution offence only when prosecution is considered to be in the public interest. The level of fine imposed is a matter for the sentencing court. All aggravating and mitigating factors and the defendant's ability to pay will be taken into account.
	Prosecution is only one of a number of interventions that the Environment Agency employs and other enforcement tools will also have some effect. The Environment Agency publishes an annual Spotlight report which provides the relevant enforcement action taken. The 2008 report can be viewed at:
	http://publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/pdf/GEHO0708BOFX-E-E.pdf?lang=_e

Rats: Greater London

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Romford (Andrew Rosindell) of 4 November 2008,  Official Report, column 399W, on rats: Greater London, whether the further report on rodent presence in domestic premises has been completed.

Dan Norris: The latest report on rodent presence in domestic properties as revealed by the English House Condition Survey data for 2002-03 and 2003-04 is available on DEFRA's website. The next report covering the period up to 2006 should be available this year, although at present there is no set date for publication.

Reptiles: Imports

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many reptiles of each species  (a) listed and  (b) not listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species were recorded as being imported into the EU on the Trade Control and Expert System database in each year since 2000.

Huw Irranca-Davies: We do not have access to EU-wide statistics which would enable us to answer this question.

Reptiles: Imports

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many reptiles of each species  (a) listed and  (b) not listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species were recorded on the Trade Control and Expert System as being imported into the UK from (i) EU member states and (ii) other countries in each year since 2000.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The information available regarding numbers of reptiles in each species in each category listed has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Reptiles: Imports

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many reptiles were seized by HM Revenue and Customs under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species in each year since 2000.

Phil Woolas: I have been asked to reply.
	The following table provides data, from HM Revenue and Customs central records.
	
		
			  Reptiles  Number of specimens seized 
			 2005-06 1,335 
			 2006-07 1,311 
			 2007-08 347 
		
	
	These reptiles were seized using customs enforcement powers in relation to live animals listed as endangered species under Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora.
	For the year's 2000 to 2004-05 information on all CITES specimens seized by the former HM Customs and Excise can be found on the DEFRA website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/trade-crime/cites/action-uk.htm#enforcement
	Further breakdown of the 2000 to 2004-05 figures can be achieved only at a disproportionate cost.

Rural Areas: Employment

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the Youth Hostel Association on the effectiveness of its steps taken with his Department to increase levels of  (a) rural employment and  (b) access to the countryside.

Huw Irranca-Davies: I have had no such discussions with the Youth Hostel Association but would be willing to consider doing so should they request a meeting.

School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he plans to bring forward proposals for a free fruit scheme under the provisions of EC Commission Regulation No. 288/2009.

Gillian Merron: I have been asked to reply.
	There are a number of pilots and evaluation projects currently under way that are looking at the school fruit and vegetable scheme and wider on free school meals in England. A decision will be made about whether to bring forward proposals once the results have been received and considered.

Soil

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Environment Agency on soil value guidelines; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies: DEFRA officials have been in regular contact with the Environment Agency (EA) regarding the publication of new soil guideline values. The EA is working closely with partners including the Health Protection Agency and the Food Standards Agency to produce new soil guideline values for a range of the most common contaminants. Values for the first eight contaminants were published earlier this year. The EA has stated that it will publish the remaining values as they are developed.

Soil

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when his Department plans to publish the Soil Guideline Value and Toxicological reports for  (a) naphthalene,  (b) benzo(a)pyrene and  (c) carbon fractions (i) aromatic C12-C16 and (ii) aromatic C21-C35.

Dan Norris: The Environment Agency's (EA) plans to publish Soil Guideline Values (SGV) and Toxicological (TOX) reports for naphthalene and benzo(a)pyrene have been delayed. I am informed that the EA is working on these reports with other Government agencies to resolve some outstanding technical issues, and intends to publish them as soon as possible.
	The EA has, at present, no plans to publish SGV or TOX reports for carbon fractions (i) aromatic C12-C16 and (ii) aromatic C21-C35. Its approach for these hydrocarbons was published in 2005 and is available on the EA website at:
	www.environment-agency.gov.uk

Sustainable Development

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department has taken in relation to its sustainable consumption and production priority area for action; and if he will make a statement.

Dan Norris: DEFRA's work in this priority area aims to make production and consumption patterns associated with the UK economy compatible with sustainable living. Action is being taken to minimise greenhouse gas emissions and inputs of non-renewable resources, energy and water.
	DEFRA and its partners are working with businesses, consumers and the public sector to help them understand and reduce their impacts. Overall, this work aims to create better products and services, with lower environmental impacts across their lifecycle, which minimise waste and the use of landfill. DEFRA is working to achieve this in three key ways:
	Encouraging best practice through the provision of tools, guidance, and information to help businesses and consumers choose the most sustainable behaviours. For example, we are working with industry to pilot ten roadmaps to improve the sustainability of products that have significant environmental and/or social impacts.
	Leading by example by setting policies and ensuring that the Government act in a sustainable way.
	Setting standards to ensure that minimum requirements are implemented in the design, production, use and disposal of particular products. This includes raising the sustainability of energy-using products, including through EU minimum standards. The minimum standards agreed so far are expected to save £900 million per year from people's energy bills and help save around 7Mt CO2 per annum by 2020.
	An important aspect of more sustainable consumption and production is the impact of products at their end of life as waste. Following the Waste Strategy for England 2007, DEFRA is working to:
	secure better integration of treatment for municipal and non-municipal waste;
	secure the investment in infrastructure needed to divert waste from landfill and for the management of hazardous waste; and
	meet and exceed the Landfill Directive diversion targets for biodegradable municipal waste in 2010, 2013 and 2020.
	Further information about DEFRA's work in this priority area can be found in the Departmental Report which is available on DEFRA's website.

Waste Disposal: Fees and Charges

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to the answer of 11 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1006W, on domestic wastes, which local authorities have sought the advice of the Waste and Resources Action Programme on available options for waste incentive schemes in the last 12 months.

Dan Norris: WRAP has not provided specific advice on operating a waste charging scheme to individual authorities within the last 12 months. They have dealt with a number of general enquiries from local authority officers and members, seeking clarification on the legislation and draft guidelines for the Waste Incentive Programme, but these did not result in an application being developed for a pilot scheme.

Water Charges

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with  (a) water companies,  (b) consumer groups and  (c) others on simplifying the format of domestic water bills.

Huw Irranca-Davies: My Department has held no recent discussions with water companies, consumer groups or others on simplifying the format of domestic water rates bills. However, the independent Walker Review of charging for household water and sewerage services is looking at this, among other issues, and published an interim report on 29 June.

WALES

Departmental Buildings

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much in  (a) rent,  (b) service charges and  (c) business rates has been paid in respect of each of the premises occupied by his Department in each year since 2005.

Peter Hain: My Department occupies two buildings, one in London and the other in Cardiff. My Department has paid the following for each building in:
	 (a  & b) Rent and Service Charges
	The London office is owned by the Wales Office and no rent or service charges are payable. The service charges are not recorded separately from the rent and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.
	
		
			   Cardiff Office (£) 
			 2005-06 146,272.92 
			 2006-07 163,078.46 
			 2007-08 178,601.80 
			 2008-09 184,438.24 
		
	
	 (c) Business Rates
	
		
			   London Office  (£)  Cardiff Office  (£) 
			 2005-06 48,108.00 39,784.50 
			 2006-07 48,108.00 40,608.00 
			 2007-08 50,616.00 42,112.00 
			 2008-09 52,668.00 43,431.20

Departmental Data Protection

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what categories of personal information on members of the public will be held on each of his Department's and its agency's databases expected to become operational in the next five years; what estimate he has made of the likely number of individuals' details each such database will hold when fully operational; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office has no plans for databases holding personal information on members of the public to become operational within the next five years.

Departmental Data Protection

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many  (a) attempts and  (b) successful attempts were made to gain unauthorised access to each (i) database and (ii) ICT system run by his Department in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: As a small Department, the Wales Office does not run its own ICT systems, instead using services provided by the Ministry of Justice. My Department runs two databases, which have not suffered from attempts to gain unauthorised access during the last five years.

Departmental Electronic Equipment

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many  (a) photocopiers,  (b) scanning devices and  (c) fax machines, excluding multi-function devices, there are in his Department; how many there were in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: The number of photocopiers, scanning devices and fax machines, excluding multi-function devices, currently used in the Wales Office and over the past three years are given in the table:
	
		
			   Photocopiers  Scanning devices  Fax machines 
			 Current 6 2 16 
			 2008-09 7 2 16 
			 2007-08 7 2 16 
			 2006-07 7 2 16

Departmental Internet

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the maintenance and development costs of his Department's website were in each year since 2005.

Peter Hain: My Department has spent the following on maintaining and developing our website:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2005-06 5,875.00 
			 2006-07 6,227.50 
			 2007-08 27,581.96 
			 2008-09 6,054.55 
		
	
	The 2007-08 figure includes the cost of designing and establishing the new Wales Office website in 2007-08 and the provision of a new server.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Departmental Press: Subscriptions

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change to which  (a) magazines,  (b) journals and  (c) newspapers his Department subscribes; and what the cost of such subscriptions has been in each of the last three years.

Joan Ruddock: Since the Department's formation in October 2008, Ministers and the Communications director have received the following publications:
	 Ministers
	Monday to Friday: 4 x  Financial Times, 3 x  The Times, 3 x  Telegraph, 4 x  Independent, 4 x  Guardian 2 x  Mail, 2 x  Express, 3 x  The Sun, 3 x  The Mirror, 2 x  The Star, 4 x  Evening Standard and weekly Observer,  Spectator, 2 x  Economist,  New Scientist. The total cost to the Department as of 31 May 2009 was £4,270.05.
	 Communications
	Monday to Saturday:  Financial Times,  Times,  Telegraph,  Independent,  Guardian,  Mail,  Express,  Sun,  Mirror,  Star and weekly  Sunday Times,  Sunday Telegraph,  Independent on Sunday,  Observer,  Mail on Sunday,  Sunday Express,  News of the World,  People,  Sunday Mirror,  Daily Star Sunday,  The Economist,  Spectator,  PR Week,  Private Eye,  New Statesman. The total cost to the Department as of 31 May 2009 was £2,025.73.
	The Department does not keep central records of all the remaining publications that it receives and this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Environment Protection: Education

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much funding his Department has allocated towards the development of environmental education initiatives in  (a) Mid Bedfordshire constituency and  (b) the East of England since it was established; and if he will make a statement.

Diana Johnson: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department does not allocate funding directly to support environmental education initiatives in specific areas. Environmental education is one of the key concepts for the study of geography in the new secondary curriculum and the Action Plan for Geography supports this by providing professional development opportunities for teachers in the regions to help them embed sustainable development and environmental education in their classroom practice. We are also working with stakeholders, including the Government Office East of England and local authorities, to engage and support schools work towards the DCSF's Sustainable Schools strategy which aims for all schools to be sustainable by 2020. The strategy is guided by a commitment to care for the environment both locally and nationally and a national framework has been established to help schools identify areas on which they can focus to develop their sustainability practices.

Fuel Poverty

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many staff in his Department are working on the review of its strategy for tackling fuel poverty.

David Kidney: DECC is currently undertaking a review of its fuel poverty policies. Initial findings of this review are expected in the summer of 2009. Until the review has delivered its findings it would be inappropriate to consider whether to revise the Government's Fuel Poverty Strategy.
	The Fuel Poverty Review project team currently consists of the following officials by pay band:
	
		
			   Number 
			 SCS 1 
			 Grade 7 4 
			 HEO 2 
			 EO 1 
		
	
	In addition the project team has recently recruited a short-term secondee.

Warm Front Scheme: Pensioners

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many applicants for a Warm Front grant aged  (a) under 60 years old and  (b) 60 years old and over who were informed that they would need to pay a contribution (i) took up the grant and (ii) did not proceed with their applications in 2008-09.

David Kidney: The following table shows the requested information:
	
		
			Households asked to contribute   
			  Scheme year 2008-09  Assisted households  Number  Percentage  Paid  Did not proceed 
			 Under 60s 102,317 19,693 19.2 17,379 2,314 
			 Over 60s 133,277 29,571 22.2 26,031 3,540 
			 Total 235,594 49,264 20.9 43,410 5,854 
		
	
	The grant maxima for the period reported on were £2,700 or £4,000 where an oil measure was required. On 23 April 2009 we announced our intention to raise the grant maxima to £3,500 or £6,000 for oil and other low carbon and renewable heating measures.

PRIME MINISTER

Members: Surveillance

Paul Goodman: To ask the Prime Minister whether the application of the Wilson Doctrine on interception of hon. Members' telephone calls has been amended since September 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Gordon Brown: No. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Policing, Crime and Counter-Terrorism to my hon. Friend the Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Emily Thornberry) on 9 July 2009,  Official Report, columns 1133-4.

OLYMPICS

Olympic Games 2012: Employment

Alistair Burt: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what percentage of the construction workers at the Olympic Park are residents of the London Borough of  (a) Hackney,  (b) Newham,  (c) Tower Hamlets,  (d) Waltham Forest and  (e) Greenwich.

Tessa Jowell: The latest figures published by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) in April 2009 showed that at that time there were 4,101 people working on the Olympic Park, of which 20 per cent. (826) stated that they are a resident in the five host boroughs. This equates to approximately one in five individuals working on the Olympic site.
	The table provides a snap shot of people from each of the host boroughs working on site as at April 2009.
	
		
			  Borough  Contractor workforce number  Representation of contractor workforce (percentage)  BAME (percentage) 
			 Hackney 104 3 32 
			 Newham 308 8 27 
			 Tower Hamlets 101 2 28 
			 Waltham Forest 187 5 25 
			 Greenwich 126 3 34 
		
	
	The ODA publishes its employment and skills statistics on a quarterly basis and will be releasing the next set of quarterly figures later this month, in the publications sections of the London 2012 website.

Olympic Games 2012: Gun Sports

Gordon Banks: To ask the Minister for the Olympics if she will publish all reports relevant to the consideration of the National Shooting Centre, Bisley as a location for target shooting at the London 2012 Olympics.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 18 June 2009
	A redacted summary version of the KPMG report that informed the Olympic Board's decision was published and placed in the House Library. Because of the continuing commercial sensitivity of information contained within the report, I am unable to publish a full copy at this time.
	The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and the Olympic Delivery Authority have also held several briefing sessions with a number of MPs and Peers and are happy to undertake further meetings to explain the rationale behind the Olympic Board's decision as are the British Olympic Association and British Shooting. British Shooting has accepted that Bisley is not a viable option for the 2012 events and will work with London 2012 on legacy for the sport.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Antisocial Behaviour

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding has been provided from the public purse to parish councils to tackle antisocial behaviour in the last 12 months.

Alan Campbell: The Home Office does not provide direct funding to parish councils to tackle antisocial behaviour. Funding to tackle antisocial behaviour now forms part of the general Area Based Grant (ABG) paid by the Department of Communities and Local Government to Unitary and upper tier authorities. It is for local partnerships to agree how the grants received should be allocated against locally determined priorities, including tackling antisocial behaviour.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders: Young People

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 18 June 2009,  Official Report, column 454W, on anti-social behaviour orders: young people, who is responsible for monitoring the effects of media reporting on antisocial behaviour orders imposed on children between the ages of 10 and 17 years on levels of compliance with such orders.

Alan Campbell: The Home Office has issued guidance on publicising antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) which emphasises that a case by case approach should be adopted and that a test should be applied which balances the purpose of publicity against the impact it will have on the individual involved, especially in cases involving young people. It is up to the applicant agency to determine the outcome of this test and determine what publicity is appropriate and proportionate. In addition courts retain the right to impose reporting restrictions where they believe it necessary to do so.
	ASBO publicity does not always have to be negative. In cases where ASBOs have worked and perpetrators have turned their lives around, the media may wish to follow up ASBO successes with good news stories.

Crime: Detection Rates

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the crime detection rate for North Yorkshire police force was in each year since 2002-03.

Alan Campbell: The information requested has been given in the following table.
	From 1 April 2007 the rules governing recording of non-sanction detections were revised to reduce the scope within which they can be claimed to a very small limited set of circumstances. This has significantly reduced the number of non-sanction detections which has been reflected in the overall detection rates in England and Wales.
	Detection rates are a ratio of crime detected in a period to crimes recorded in a period. They are not based on tracking whether individual crimes recorded in a period have eventually been detected.
	
		
			  Detection rates for offences recorded by the police in North Yorkshire 
			   Detection rate (percentage) 
			 2002-03 26 
			 2003-04 28 
			 2004-05 35 
			 2005-06 35 
			 2006-07 33 
			 2007-08 33

Crime: Yorkshire

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes were reported in York in each of the last four years.

Alan Campbell: The information requested is given in the table.
	
		
			  Offences recorded by the police in York 
			   Number 
			 2004-05 23,080 
			 2005-06 22,784 
			 2006-07 20,935 
			 2007-08 19,055

Crime: Yorkshire

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) violent crimes and  (b) crimes were recorded in (i) North Yorkshire and (ii) City of York in each year since 1996-97.

Alan Campbell: The available information is given in the tables.
	A number of changes have been made to recorded crime in response to suggestions in the two reviews of crime statistics. One such change is that the term 'violent crime' is no longer used and we now provide figures for violence against the person.
	
		
			  Table 1: Offences recorded by the police in North Yorkshire and York, 1996 and 1997 
			  Number 
			  Area and offence  1996  1997 
			  North Yorkshire   
			 Violence against the person 2,333 2,425 
			 Total recorded crime 56,919 50,252 
			
			  York   
			 Violence against the person n/a n/a 
			 Total recorded crime n/a n/a 
			 n/a = Not available. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Offences recorded by the police in North Yorkshire and York, 1998-99 to 2001-02( 1, 2) 
			  Number 
			  Area and offence  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02 
			  North Yorkshire 
			 Violence against the person 4,827 5,101 4,898 5,624 
			 Total recorded crime 55,309 53,554 51,551 59,125 
			  
			  York 
			 Violence against the person n/a 1,650 1,504 1,656 
			 Total recorded crime n/a n/a 19,291 22,890 
			 n/a = Not available (1) The coverage was extended and counting rules revised from 1998-99. Figures from that date are not directly comparable with those for 1997.  (2) The data in this table are prior to the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for later years. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Offences recorded by the police in North Yorkshire and York, 2002-03 to 2007-08( 1) 
			  Number 
			  Area and offence  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			  North Yorkshire   
			 Violence against the person 8,108 9,610 12,045 11,473 10,087 9,538 
			 Total recorded crime 67,239 71,473 61,615 58,850 54,526 50,265 
			
			  York   
			 Violence against the person 2,575 3,459 4,000 3,810 3,285 3,219 
			 Total recorded crime 25,630 29,347 23,080 22,784 20,935 19,055 
			 (1 )The data in this table take account of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.

Domestic Violence

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of changes in levels of reported domestic violence in each police force area since January 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Campbell: There were 674,756 domestic violence incidents reported in 2007-08. Data for 2008-09 are not yet available.

Forensic Science Service: Essex

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions staff of the Forensic Science Service have attended the scene of a violent crime in  (a) Essex and  (b) Castle Point in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: The Forensic Science Service are unable to determine those occasions when they have attended the scene of a violent crime in Castle Point. These are included here within the figures for Southend. The figures for the last five years for Southend and the rest of Essex are shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Actual finish date s 
			  Location  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009 
			 Southend 0 4 3 3 0 0 
			 Rest of Essex 11 15 16 20 15 10

Human Trafficking

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding the Government has allocated for measures to tackle human trafficking in  (a) the UK and  (b) the North East in each year since 1997.

Alan Campbell: Funding for the fight against human trafficking is not provided on a regional basis as the crime is one that affects all parts of the country and our response therefore has to be national and strategic in nature.
	We have provided the UK Human Trafficking Centre with £5.7 million over the period 2006 to the end of the current financial year.
	Additionally, we fund the Serious Organised Crime Agency to the tune of £400 million per annum. SOCA has organised immigration crime, including human trafficking as its second highest priority.
	From 2004 to the start of the current financial year we had given £5.8 million to Eaves Housing for Women to manage the support provisions for adult female victims of trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation. This has been further supported by a further £3.7 million over the next two financial years to Eaves Housing to continue these services on a wider geographical basis.

Human Trafficking

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funds his Department has allocated to the Metropolitan Police's human trafficking team for  (a) 2009-10 and  (b) 2010-11; what recent discussions he has had with the Metropolitan Police on (i) funding for and (ii) staff levels in the human trafficking team; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 17 June 2009
	Following negotiations with the Metropolitan Police, the Home Office agreed on an exceptional basis to provide an additional £435,000 for the current financial year.
	Human trafficking is core police business. However, this money was granted in consideration of the fact that the Met, unlike the other forces, could not mainstream this work by the end of the last financial year and on the clear understanding that all anti-human trafficking work within the Met would be met from within their existing budget from 1 April 2010 onwards. The staffing levels are a matter for the Commissioner. The Metropolitan Police has developed a good relationship with the UK Human Trafficking Centre, which is the acknowledged centre of expertise on human trafficking issues and was established to co-ordinate the law enforcement response to this crime.

Identity Cards: Greater Manchester

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Harwich (Mr. Carswell) of 20 May 2009,  Official Report, column 1463W, on identity cards: Greater Manchester, what national implementation strategy his Department will follow for the National Identity Service should take-up in the Manchester pilot be low.

Alan Johnson: We intend that lessons learned from the launch of identity cards to volunteers in Manchester will inform our subsequent delivery strategy.
	The identity card roll out included Foreign National Identity Cards, Critical Workers Identity Cards, Voluntary Identity Cards (commensurate with EU Member State Identity Cards) and the establishment of an identity register to supplement and eventually replace existing identity registers. The lessons learned from Manchester will feed into this roll out.

Migrant Workers

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding his Department has allocated in respect of  (a) translation services and  (b) advertising in job centres in respect of schemes to encourage migrant workers to return home.

Phil Woolas: The Department does not operate any schemes to encourage migrant workers to return home. It follows that the Department has allocated no funding to date in respect of  (a) translation services and  (b) advertising in job centres in respect of such schemes.

Police: Disciplinary Proceedings

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what disciplinary procedures apply in relation to  (a) police officers,  (b) police community support officers and  (c) civilian police staff who are convicted of a criminal offence.

Alan Johnson: Discipline for police officers and staff convicted of a criminal offence is a matter for the chief officer of the force concerned. They would be dealt with under separate procedures.
	Police officers are subject to disciplinary procedures set out in the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2008 (SI 2008 2864). In cases where the chief officer has determined that the conduct of an officer or police staff member amounts to gross misconduct, then the officer or police staff member may be dismissed from the service. There are alternative outcomes of a written warning or a final written warning.
	Police community support officers and civilian police staff are not subject to police regulations, but are subject to procedures based on the terms and conditions of their employment with the force concerned.

Police: Protective Clothing

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring forward legislative proposals to require chief constables to issue stab-proof vests to police community support officers.

David Hanson: There are no plans to bring forward legislation in this area at the present time.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Cultural Heritage: Wiltshire

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people visited  (a) Stonehenge,  (b) Old Sarum and  (c) Old Wardour Castle in (i) 2000, (ii) 2005 and (iii) 2008.

Barbara Follett: Stonehenge, Old Sarum Castle and Wardour Castle are properties managed by English Heritage. The information set out in the following table has been provided by English Heritage. The table shows English Heritage's figures for the number of visitors to Stonehenge, Old Sarum Castle and Wardour Castle in financial years 2000-01, 2005-06 and 2008-09. The information is not recorded by calendar year.
	
		
			   Stonehenge  Old Sarum Castle  Old Wardour Castle 
			 2000-01 799,742 75,921 19,863 
			 2005-06 834,318 48,637 26,470 
			 2008-09 890,438 50,839 25,100

Cultural Heritage: Wiltshire

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the annual  (a) running costs and  (b) income from entrance charges, shop sales and other revenue at (i) Stonehenge, (ii) Old Sarum and (iii) Old Wardour Castle were in each of the last three years.

Barbara Follett: Stonehenge, Old Sarum Castle and Wardour Castle are properties managed by English Heritage. The information set out in the following table has been provided by English Heritage. The table shows the running costs incurred and income received by English Heritage for the management of Stonehenge, Old Sarum Castle and Wardour Castle in each of the last three years.
	
		
			  £ 
			   2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			  Stonehenge
			 Running costs 2,177,206 2,043,083 2,162,420 
			 Total income 5,392,727 5,680,332 5,901,546 
			 Admissions income 3,174,409 3,373,807 3,550,203 
			 Retail and catering income 1,889,494 1,942,072 2,002,089 
			 Other earned income 328,824 364,453 349,254 
			 
			  Old Sarum Castle
			 Running costs 161,868 161,769 137,943 
			 Total income 243,828 223,807 198,282 
			 Admissions income 105,304 97,081 85,667 
			 Retail and catering income 94,209 90,278 80,324 
			 Other earned income 44,315 36,448 32,291 
			 
			  Wardour Castle
			 Running costs 73,864 74,192 67,975 
			 Total income 113,198 115,338 97,478 
			 Admissions income 36,731 38,585 36,458 
			 Retail and catering income 37,936 33,770 28,486 
			 Other earned income 38,531 42,983 32,534

Departmental Databases

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which databases managed by his Department and its agencies hold personal information on members of the public; on what date each such database become operational; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: My Department outsources management of all databases. The databases it uses which contain personal information are:
	
		
			  Database  Operational 
			 Finance February 2006 
			 Consultation-Audiovisual Media Services October 2008 
			 Consultation-BBC Charter Review January 2004 
			 Consultation-BBC White Paper May 2006 
			 Consultation-BBC Green Paper June 2005 
			 Consultation-Free to Air April 2009 
			 Consultation-Gambling Bill March 2004 
			 Consultation-Heritage Protection April 2007 
			 Consultation-McMaster Review November 2007 
			 Consultation-Museum of London Act (1965) October 2003 
			 Consultation-Ticket Touting February 2009 
			 Consultation-Television Without Frontiers November 2006 
			 Dome documents November 2001 
			 Freedom of Information Act Case Management October 2004 
			 Honours 2001 
			 Information Centre Enquiry March 2001 
			 Lottery Grants December 1996 
			 Memorial-July 7th July 2005 
			 Memorial-Tsunami March 2005 
			 Records Centre July 2003 
			 Sponsored Bodies July 1997 
		
	
	Databases managed by the Royal Parks Agency are:
	
		
			  Database  Operational 
			 Estates Licencing 2000 
			 Fund Raising 2001 
			 Sports Booking 2005 
			 Considerate Cycling Scheme 2007 
			 What's On (visitor information) 2005

Departmental Databases

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what categories of personal information on members of the public will be held on each database expected to become operational in the next five years and which will be managed by his Department or its agency; what estimate he has made of the likely number of individuals' details each such database will hold when fully operational; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: My Department has no specific plans for databases in the future. However, they are used to capture views in consultations.

Departmental Databases

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what databases which will be managed by his Department and which will contain personal information are  (a) under construction and  (b) expected to go live in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: My Department has no databases under construction. It has no specific plans for databases in the future. However, they are used to capture views in consultations.

Digital Broadcasting

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what meetings Ministers and officials of his Department have had with representatives of BT to discuss the Government's Digital Britain report in the last six months.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 8 July 2009
	Lord Carter, joint Minister for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has met representatives of BT four times to discuss the Digital Britain White Paper in the last six months. Officials of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have met with representatives of BT once in this time.

Hampton Court

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many grace and favour residences there are at  (a) Hampton Court and  (b) Kensington Palace; and how much income has been received from the residences in the last five years.

Barbara Follett: There are currently three grace and favour residences at Hampton Court and one at Hampton Court Mews occupied rent-free and there are no grace and favour residents at Kensington Palace. Grace and favour residences are by definition occupied rent-free and therefore no income has been received in the last five years.

Religious Buildings: Conservation

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding his Department allocated for the conservation of  (a) cathedrals,  (b) parish churches and  (c) other places of worship in England in (i) 1997, (ii) 2001 and (iii) 2009.

Barbara Follett: In the years requested, the funding made available by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport was as set out in the following tables.
	
		
			  DCMS funding for churches conservation trust 
			   £ 
			 1997-98 2,480,000 
			 2001-02 3,000,000 
			 2008-09 3,161,000 
		
	
	
		
			  DCMS funding for listed places of worship scheme( 1) 
			   £ 
			 1997-98 (2)- 
			 2001-02 931,452 
			 2008-09 13,411,061 
			 (1) It is not possible to segregate the grants disbursed between cathedrals, parish churches and other places of worship. (2) Scheme not in place. 
		
	
	In addition, English Heritage made funding available for the conservation of cathedrals and other places of worship in England as set out in the following table. English Heritage does not distinguish between parish churches and places of worship in terms of funding.
	
		
			  £ 
			   English Heritage funding offered to cathedrals  English Heritage funding offered to places of worship 
			 1997-98 3,020,500 9,195,000 
			 2001-02 2,519,000 2,524,200 
			 2008-09 1,292,000 9,569,800

Sports

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people of each  (a) sex and  (b) ethnic group participated in each sporting activity for which his Department records figures in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Sport England has provided figures for sports currently in receipt of funding, where sample sizes are sufficient. These are drawn from Active People Survey 1 (APS1), for the period 2005-06; and from Active People 2 (APS2), for the period 2007-08. Results are as follows:
	
		
			   APS1 
			  Sport  Male  Female  White  non-white 
			 Athletics 836,900 516,500 1,245,000 108,800 
			 Badminton 290,300 226,300 455,500 61,200 
			 Basketball 125,100 33,100 108,900 49,400 
			 Bowls 203,100 136,300 335,000 4,500 
			 Boxing 87,500 28,000 99,400 16,200 
			 Canoeing and Kayaking 26,200 10,300 35,100 (1)- 
			 Cricket 179,600 15,400 151,300 43,800 
			 Cycling 1,159,900 474,200 1,539,300 95,600 
			 Dance exercise 17,400 125,700 129,300 13,600 
			 Fencing 10,400 (1)- 12,500 (1)- 
			 Fishing 139,900 6,500 145,200 (1)- 
			 Football 1,870,000 149,700 1,755,000 266,700 
			 Golf 763,900 124,400 867,400 21,700 
			 Gymnastics and Trampolining 13,300 45,600 54,400 4,500 
			 Hockey-field 49,300 44,600 88,500 5,300 
			 Horse riding 41,700 273,200 309,800 4,800 
			 Judo 13,200 4,000 15,000 (1)- 
			 Mountaineering 49,400 17,800 63,200 4,000 
			 Netball (1)- 110,100 102,900 8,800 
			 Rounders (1)- 14,000 15,300 (1)- 
			 Rowing 27,600 11,700 36,900 (1)- 
			 Rugby League 67,100 6,500 68,300 5,500 
			 Rugby Union 176,400 8,900 176,400 9,200 
			 Sailing 46,600 17,400 61,900 (1)- 
			 Shooting 53,300 4,800 56,600 (1)- 
			 Skiing and Snowboarding 76,700 50,600 123,200 4,200 
			 Squash and Racquetball 248,900 50,700 283,200 16,500 
			 Swimming 1,127,300 2,147,500 3,098,800 175,100 
			 Table Tennis 50,000 19,200 61,900 7,400 
			 Taekwondo 11,200 7,900 16,700 (1)- 
			 Tennis 244,600 212,400 418,800 38,200 
			 Volleyball 18,500 14,200 27,000 5,800 
			 Weightlifting 95,300 12,400 90,800 17,000 
		
	
	
		
			   APS 2 
			  Sport  Male  Female  White  non-white 
			 Athletics 999,100 612,500 1,441,200 144,300 
			 Badminton 307,500 228,100 453,800 86,100 
			 Basketball 143,300 42,700 119,100 57,200 
			 Bowls 205,000 152,300 361,000 (1)- 
			 Boxing 87,700 19,100 85,000 19,900 
			 Canoeing and Kayaking 36,100 7,400 40,800 (1)- 
			 Cricket 187,600 17,100 155,000 58,200 
			 Cycling 1,260,300 506,200 1,653,400 112,100 
			 Dance exercise 11,000 138,400 130,800 20,600 
			 Fencing 10,200 (1)- 13,900 (1)- 
			 Fishing 124,800 7,500 135,100 (1)- 
			 Football 1,996,400 146,600 1,880,700 295,400 
			 Golf 805,300 142,400 935,100 23,300 
			 Gymnastics and Trampolining 20,600 68,600 82,100 (1)- 
			 Hockey-field 43,900 55,900 96,000 (1)- 
			 Horse riding 43,300 298,600 344,800 (1)- 
			 Judo 13,100 (1)- 17,100 (1)- 
			 Mountaineering 63,600 22,500 76,300 (1)- 
			 Netball (1)- 116,800 108,400 14,000 
			 Rounders (1)- 23,000 22,700 (1)- 
			 Rowing 39,000 15,900 52,900 (1)- 
			 Rugby League 82,800 (1)- 84,600 (1)- 
			 Rugby Union 212,900 17,200 217,800 13,000 
			 Sailing 64,900 25,000 88,200 (1)- 
			 Shooting 62,000 (1)- 64,400 (1)- 
			 Skiing and Snowboarding 70,800 49,700 109,900 (1)- 
			 Squash and Racquetball 243,400 50,300 270,600 23,300 
			 Swimming 1,108,600 2,136,500 3,052,200 197,000 
			 Table Tennis 53,500 22,100 65,300 9,800 
			 Taekwondo 16,800 7,400 21,500 (1)- 
			 Tennis 259,900 227,500 438,100 47,400 
			 Volleyball 31,100 17,300 33,900 11,300 
			 Weightlifting 108,900 9,400 93,300 18,600 
			 (1) Denotes insufficient sample size. 
		
	
	Active People has now been commissioned on a rolling basis and further data will be available in due course. Further analysis of ethnicity and other demographics can be found on Sport England's Active People Diagnostic website at:
	http://www.sportengland.org/index/get_resources/research/active_people/active_people_diagnostic_intro.htm
	Sport England has not provided data on each individual sport by each detailed ethnic group (below the 'white' and 'non-white' groups), as for some of the smaller participant sports, there is insufficient sample to analyse the individual sport on a detailed demographic sub-group basis.

Tourism

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate his Department has made of the number of tourist information centres which have closed in the last two years; and what recent steps his Department has taken to support the tourism sector.

Barbara Follett: DCMS is aware of the following closures in 2008-09:
	
		
			  Regions  2008  2009 
			 East Midlands - Lincoln 
			 London Hounslow Croydon 
			  Hillingdon - 
			  Southwark - 
			 North East Addiston Newcastle Airport 
			 North West Saddleworth - 
			 South East Havant - 
			  Herne Bay - 
			  Whitstable - 
			 South West Wadebridge Stow on the Wold 
		
	
	Responsibility for tourist information centres falls to local authorities, for whom tourism support is a discretionary activity.
	VisitEngland has worked with national, regional and local level tourism stakeholders to develop a national partnership model to increase the promotion of tourist information centres, to ensure that these are quality assured, and to improve their customer focus. A national implementation group will oversee the introduction of this new partnership.
	The Government remain committed to supporting the tourism industry. At the national tourism summit in January, the Prime Minister called for a strengthened partnership between industry and Government through the recession and toward recovery. A tourism advisory group, composed of key industry representatives, is providing intelligence and guidance in this regard and an inter-ministerial group has been established to address fiscal and regulatory concerns as well as incentives and opportunities. VisitBritain and VisitEngland are also running a major, £6.5 million overseas and domestic marketing campaign, themed around destinations as Value for Money.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Departmental Internet

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when his Department plans to update its web browsers from Internet Explorer 6.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) currently runs Internet Explorer 7 as part of our standard PC build. We are evaluating Internet Explorer 8 for potential future release when we have assessed compatibility with existing applications.

JUSTICE

Court Orders

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many court production orders for data from communications service providers were  (a) applied for and  (b) obtained in each year since 2000; and how many such orders were (i) sought and (ii) obtained by Government departments and agencies in each such year.

Bridget Prentice: The information about court production orders which is being sought is not held centrally.

Courts

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what guidance is issued to the courts on discretion to refer to presenting authorities for investigation instances of prima facie evidence of criminal activity contained in papers lodged with a court in the course of a civil action.

Bridget Prentice: The Judicial Studies Board issue guidance to the judiciary in section 1.7 of the Civil Bench Book on what to do when criminal conduct is discovered in civil proceedings. This can be viewed at the Judicial Studies Board website at:
	www.jsboard.co.uk

Courts: Fines

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many courts accept fine payments by  (a) credit and  (b) debit card.

Jack Straw: By the end of July all magistrate courts and their associated payment offices will be able to accept both debit and credit card payments. In addition there is a national internet site and telephone pay line through which card payments can be taken.

Departmental Contracts

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will make an assessment of the standard of service provided to his Department and its agencies by contractors appointed by reverse auction.

Claire Ward: Since the beginning to 2008 the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) have undertaken three reverse auctions as detailed in the following table.
	
		
			  Supplier  Auction title  Completed 
			 Hamilton and Pollock Polythene bags and sacks-Lot 1 February 2008 
			 Hamilton and Pollock Polythene bags and sacks-Lot 2 February 2008 
			 3663 Supply of frozen food stuffs June 2009 
		
	
	All of the products provided by the two suppliers listed above are associated with food/catering services that are supplied for National Offender Management Service (NOMS). The polythene bags and sacks are supplied as light catering equipment for holding food stuff only.
	The performance of both suppliers has been satisfactory with no disputes or reason to issue performance warnings during the post contact phase albeit the supply of frozen food is currently in implementation phase having only been awarded in the past four weeks.

Departmental Finance

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the capital budget for his Department and each of its agencies is in the next four years.

Jack Straw: The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) has a capital DEL budget of £768 million this year, as published in the 2009-10 Main Supply Estimates. This reflects MOJ'S CSR settlement with HM Treasury. Capital DEL budgets for individual MOJ agencies are contained in the following table:
	
		
			  To nearest £ million 
			  Executive agency  Published net capital DEL budget for 2009-10 
			 National Offender Management Service (NOMS) 375 
			 Her Majesty's Courts Service 164 
			 Office of Public Guardian 2 
			 Tribunals Service 4 
			 MOJ other (includes NDPBs) 59 
			 Departmental Unallocated capital Provision (DUP) (1)164 
			 Total 768 
			 (1) MOJ currently has an official DUP for capital DEL which it intends to draw down formally in the supplementary round and forms part of NOMS expenditure plan. 
		
	
	As published in the 2007 Pre-Budget Report and Comprehensive Spending Review, the provisional capital DEL budget for 2010-11 is £733 million. This funding is yet to be allocated out across the Department and its agencies.
	No capital budgets have been set beyond 2010-11 as this is dependent on the outcome of the next Spending Review.

Departmental Procurement

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what changes have been made to his Department's  (a) office equipment and  (b) stationery purchasing policy in the last six months.

Claire Ward: The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) have not altered any purchasing policies for the supply of office equipment (includes printers, photocopiers, facsimile, etc.) in the last six months.
	With regard to the provision of stationery suppliers, the MOJ has recently conducted a mini-competition between Government framework suppliers to supply the total stationery requirement for the whole of MOJ. The mini-competition brought together the supply requirements for HM Prison Service, HM Courts Service and Tribunals Service which was identified as an ideal opportunity to rationalise the stationery product base and increase volume leverage for the benefit of the Ministry and the taxpayer.

Fraud: Essex

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many convictions for offences related to fraud in connection with property leases there were in  (a) Essex and  (b) Castle Point in each of the last five years.

Claire Ward: There is no specific offence of 'lease-related fraud'. If detected, a person committing such an activity is likely to be charged with a general fraud offence-for example, dishonestly making a false representation for gain under section 2 of the Fraud Act 2006 or, prior to commencement of the Fraud Act in January 2007, obtaining property by deception under section 15 of the Theft Act 1968.
	The number of defendants found guilty of offences under section 2 of the Fraud Act 2006 and section 15 of the Theft Act 1968 in Essex police force area, for the years 2003 to 2007, is shown in the table. Information held by the Ministry of Justice Court Proceedings Database for the number of convictions for fraud offences cannot be broken down to constituency level. Nor is it possible to identify how many of those convicted of fraud were guilty of offences specifically relating to property leases.
	These data are provided on a principal offence basis. This means that where a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the offence selected is the one for which the heaviest penalty was imposed. Where the same sentence is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	Court proceedings data for 2008 will be available in the autumn of 2009.
	
		
			  N umber of defendants found guilty at all courts for offences of obtaining property by deception( 1)  or fraud by false representation( 2) , in Essex police force area, 2003 - 07( 3,4) 
			   Found guilty 
			 2003 156 
			 2004 147 
			 2005 127 
			 2006 134 
			 2007 156 
			 (1) Includes the following statutes: Theft Act 1968 Sec 15. Fraud Act 2006 (repealed eight sections including S15 of the Theft Act 1968 and was implemented in January 2007). (2) Fraud Act 2006 S.1(2a)(3)(4), and 2. (3) These data are on the principal offence basis. (4) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: OCJR-EA: Office for Criminal Justice Reform-Evidence and Analysis Unit

Further Offence Inquiries

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many serious further offence inquiries were conducted in each year since 2001; and how many of those involved a person previously convicted of homicide.

Jack Straw: The number of serious further offence reviews which were conducted in each year since 2001, together with the number of those involving a person under supervision for an index offence of homicide, is included in the following table. The table is based on cases that were recorded in the published annual Prison and Probation statistics and the Offender Management Caseload Statistics respectively.
	The changes in serious further offence review numbers since 2001 are largely attributable to overall changes in the size and nature of the workload of the Probation Service over this period (from 145,000 in 2004 to 179,000 in 2008), action to address known under-reporting of serious further offences and the revisions to the serious further offence review procedures which took place in 2006. These revisions increased the number of cases requiring review by extending the number of stipulated offences that qualified for review. Prior to 2006, the review procedures stipulated nine named offences which qualified for review; thereafter, there were 74.
	The data cover index offences of homicide only since 2006-07, as these are the data that NOMS holds on its electronic database, and obtaining further details would involve manual trawling of individual reviews which would incur delay and large cost.
	Of the 16 offenders in the table with an index offence for a homicide offence, two were subsequently charged with and convicted of a homicide offence. 2 offenders died shortly after the serious further offence and prior to any charge being brought.
	
		
			   Serious further offence reviews  Offenders with index offence-homicide 
			 2001 341 - 
			 2002 394 - 
			 2003 294 - 
			 2004-05 537 - 
			 2005-06 581 - 
			 2006-07 1,043 (1)7 
			 2007-08 1,252 (2)9 
			 (1) Four murders one manslaughter two deaths by dangerous driving (2) Five murders three manslaughters one death by dangerous driving  Note: Up until 2003, serious further offence statistics were compiled on a calendar year basis, and thereafter on a business year basis.

Legal Aid Scheme: Finance

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what expenditure his Department incurred on  (a) the legal aid 60 years exhibition and  (b) other commemorative events associated with the 60th anniversary of legal aid.

Jack Straw: The aim of the 60th anniversary of legal aid exhibition and related media work is to improve people's awareness and knowledge of legal aid services. The Ministry of Justice supported the launch of the 60th anniversary of legal aid exhibition at a cost of just under £900. The LSC has spent just under £40,000 on producing the material for the exhibition (in English and Welsh) and paying for the host venues across the country throughout 2009, including costs for transportation and hosting media events. To date (8 July 2009) the LSC has spent just under £4,000 on supporting other commemorative events associated with the 60th anniversary of legal aid.

Legal Aid: Finance

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what expenditure his Department incurred in legal aid payments in respect of family proceedings in each year since 1997.

Jack Straw: Gross payments in family proceedings are shown in the following table. Finalised figures for 2008-09 are not yet available.
	
		
			   Bills paid (£ million) 
			 1996-97 392 
			 1997-98 389 
			 1998-99 423 
			 1999-2000 420 
			 2000-01 443 
			 2001-02 399 
			 2002-03 450 
			 2003-04 493 
			 2004-05 488 
			 2005-06 536 
			 2006-07 548 
			 2007-08 582

Legal Aid: North West

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many solicitors' offices provided legal aid to clients in each local authority area in the North West in relation to  (a) civil and  (b) criminal cases in each of the last three years;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of firms of solicitors in the North West which have ceased providing legal services to clients who require legal aid for  (a) civil and  (b) criminal cases in each of the last three years.

Bridget Prentice: The information is being collated by the Legal Services Commission. I will write to the hon. Member when the information is available.

Legal Services Commission: Research

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will place in the Library a copy of the results of the research commissioned by the Legal Services Commission on legal visits to prisons.

Jack Straw: The Legal Services Commission (LSC) has not commissioned formal research into legal visits to prisons.
	Nevertheless, the LSC does undertake online surveys from time to time to obtain information and views from legal aid providers on specific topics. In late 2008, it conducted an online survey inviting solicitors' firms to provide views on the application of good practice guidance on prison legal visits issued in 2007 by the Ministry of Justice and the LSC. The survey covered areas such as legal practitioners' experience of booking prison visits and use of video links for consultations with clients. This exercise has informed work by the LSC at a local level, including a project which aims to increase use of video links by criminal justice partners within the Northumbria area. The LSC has not published the survey results but intends to place a summary on its website by the end of July. A copy will be placed in the House Libraries.
	In February 2009, the LSC published a consultation on reform of prison law work, including proposals to increase control on costs. The LSC will publish a consultation response shortly.

Non-molestation Orders

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many applications for a non-molestation order have been made in each court area in each year since their introduction; and how many such orders have been granted.

Bridget Prentice: The following tables show the number of non-molestation orders applied for, and the number of non-molestation orders granted, in each court area in each year since 2003. The data are taken from the HMCS FamilyMan database and the applications figures do not include applications for arrest warrants.
	
		
			  Non-molestation orders applied for in England and Wales, by court area, 2003 - 08 
			  Area  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Avon and Somerset 509 459 456 499 438 487 
			 Bedfordshire, Essex and Herts 864 761 774 689 719 859 
			 Birmingham, Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire 543 565 458 441 471 497 
			 Black Country, Staffordshire and West Mercia 875 789 728 674 564 657 
			 Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk 582 600 580 524 565 566 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside 608 571 512 500 437 519 
			 Cleveland, Durham and Northumbria 1,319 1,221 1,198 1,343 1,233 1,285 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 585 570 588 592 575 555 
			 Devon and Cornwall 689 562 501 479 483 445 
			 Dorset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 658 581 497 445 411 534 
			 Greater Manchester 592 545 531 545 431 404 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 544 545 529 518 502 462 
			 Humber and South Yorkshire 1,084 924 911 868 806 751 
			 Kent 503 482 424 341 364 472 
			 Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Rutland and Northamptonshire 404 451 411 395 411 471 
			 London Civil and Family 4,580 4,624 4,825 4,647 4,316 4,791 
			 Mid and West Wales 215 149 164 150 161 136 
			 North and West Yorkshire 1,264 1,245 1,357 1,418 1,426 1,599 
			 North Wales 199 160 157 125 110 148 
			 Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire 395 332 309 317 316 342 
			 South East Wales 262 251 184 170 195 183 
			 Surrey and Sussex 748 635 705 691 610 695 
			 Thames Valley 675 565 539 562 509 491 
			
			 England and Wales 18,697 17,587 17,338 16,933 16,053 17,349 
		
	
	
		
			  Non-molestation orders made in England and Wales, by court area, 2003 - 08 
			  Area  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Avon and Somerset 578 523 524 561 498 548 
			 Bedfordshire, Essex and Herts 851 795 788 722 778 945 
			 Birmingham, Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire 504 728 668 618 662 578 
			 Black Country, Staffordshire and West Mercia 1,322 1,147 1,006 969 780 781 
			 Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk 760 838 831 809 765 673 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside 934 777 793 695 563 597 
			 Cleveland, Durham and Northumbria 1,977 1,839 1,843 2,018 1,784 1,541 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 1,018 1,055 1,084 907 855 791 
			 Devon and Cornwall 1,044 793 614 548 527 421 
			 Dorset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 841 761 610 609 563 631 
			 Greater Manchester 862 745 720 722 503 374 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 519 583 569 565 504 349 
			 Humber and South Yorkshire 1,075 1,047 1,098 1,051 919 702 
			 Kent 659 666 580 466 453 445 
			 Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Rutland and Northamptonshire 510 579 567 574 534 321 
			 London Civil and Family 6,785 ' 6,290 6,057 5,785 5,303 5,737 
			 Mid and West Wales 299 189 184 172 200 132 
			 North and West Yorkshire 1,823 1,779 1,756 1,958 1,817 1,987 
			 North Wales 333 264 261 140 125 134 
			 Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire 506 406 390 434 422 415 
			 South East Wales 305 301 198 205 189 156 
			 Surrey and Sussex 983 813 882 796 635 655 
			 Thames Valley 944 834 828 747 601 573 
			
			 England and Wales 25,432 23,752 22,851 22,071 19,980 19,486 
		
	
	Area level figures are not available before 2003. However, the following table gives, for each year from 1998 to 2002, the most recently published national figures.
	
		
			  Non molestation orders applied for, and made, in England and Wales between 1998 and 2002 
			   Applications made  Orders made 
			 1998 18,153 19,365 
			 1999 16,908 18,465 
			 2000 15,734 18,293 
			 2001 17,590 20,968 
			 2002 19,131 24,999

Prisoners

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many hours of purposeful activity were recorded on average by prisoners in each month in the last five years.

Jack Straw: The average number of hours of purposeful activity by prisoners in each month in the last five years is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Average hours of purposeful activity per prisoner per month 
			   Number 
			 April 2004 23.2 
			 May 2004 23.7 
			 June 2004 24.9 
			 July 2004 24.8 
			 August 2004 23.9 
			 September 2004 24.9 
			 October 2004 25.0 
			 November 2004 25.1 
			 December 2004 22.6 
			 January 2005 24.9 
			 February 2005 25.1 
			 March 2005 24.1 
			 April 2005 23.7 
			 May 2005 24.7 
			 June 2005 26.0 
			 July 2005 26.7 
			 August 2005 24.6 
			 September 2005 25.5 
			 October 2005 25.2 
			 November 2005 25.4 
			 December 2005 23.4 
			 January 2006 25.3 
			 February 2006 25.6 
			 March 2006 26.6 
			 April 2006 24.5 
			 May 2006 25.2 
			 June 2006 25.7 
			 July 2006 25.6 
			 August 2006 25.0 
			 September 2006 25.8 
			 October 2006 25.7 
			 November 2006 25.8 
			 December 2006 23.2 
			 January 2007 25.6 
			 February 2007 25.4 
			 March 2007 25.6 
			 April 2007 25.0 
			 May 2007 24.6 
			 June 2007 25.8 
			 July 2007 26.0 
			 August 2007 24.3 
			 September 2007 25.9 
			 October 2007 25.9 
			 November 2007 26.0 
			 December 2007 23.3 
			 January 2008 26.0 
			 February 2008 25.9 
			 March 2008 25.0 
			 April 2008 25.5 
			 May 2008 24.5 
			 June 2008 25.4 
			 July 2008 25.0 
			 August 2008 24.5 
			 September 2008 25.2 
			 October 2008 25.2 
			 November 2008 25.0 
			 December 2008 22.2 
			 January 2009 25.2 
			 February 2009 24.8 
			 March 2009 25.4

Probation: Hemel Hempstead

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average ratio of offenders to Probation Service staff in the Hemel Hempstead probation area was in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: The ratio of offenders supervised by Hertfordshire probation area to Hertfordshire probation staff (unfortunately the caseload is not broken down to constituency level) as at 31 December each year is as shown in the following table. The ratio for offender management staff has also been provided as this represents a full picture of the workload (it should also be noted that this includes trainee probation officers, who would have a low protected caseload).
	
		
			   Total staff  : offenders  Offender managers  : offenders 
			 2004 1:10 1:23 
			 2005 1:12 1:30 
			 2006 1:12 1:35 
			 2007 1:13 1:36 
			 2008 1:13 1:41

Probation Officers

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many trainee probation officers are expected to qualify in  (a) Northumbria and  (b) England and Wales in September 2009; how many in each category he estimates will be offered full-time employment as trained probation officers; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: In October 2009 24 trainee probation officers (TPOs) are due to qualify in Northumbria and a total of 518 are due to qualify in England and Wales. A recent survey of the 42 probation areas, who are the employers, has shown that it is too soon to accurately estimate how many TPOs will be offered permanent posts upon graduation.

Roads: Accidents

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many criminal convictions have resulted from hit and run incidents in  (a) the North East,  (b) Tees Valley and  (c) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in each year since 1997.

Claire Ward: The available information on the findings of guilt at all courts for the offence of 'failing to stop after an accident' in Cleveland Police Force Area, and the North East Region for the years 1997 to 2007 is shown in the table.
	Data for 2008 will be available in the autumn of 2009.
	
		
			  Findings of guilt at all courts for the offence of 'failing to stop after an accident'( 1,2,3)  in Cleveland police force area, and the North East region( 4) , 1997 to 2007( 5) 
			  Number of offences 
			   Total findings of guilt 
			   Cleveland  North East region( 4) 
			 1997 105 438 
			 1998 86 435 
			 1999 89 452 
			 2000 75 428 
			 2001 71 467 
			 2002 77 515 
			 2003 132 617 
			 2004 76 486 
			 2005 79 473 
			 2006 81 495 
			 2007 91 518 
			 (1) Not all hit and run incidents are pursued through the courts-minor ones in particular may not involve police attendance and may not be reported to the police by the injured party. (2) Hit and run usually refers to a collision in which someone was injured or killed. The offence of failure to stop is also committed if there has only been damage but such incidents cannot be distinguished from those involving injury or death. (3) A person involved in a hit and run incident may be convicted of a more serious offence such as dangerous driving. (4) North East region includes figures for Cleveland police force area. (5) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: OCJR EA (Office for Criminal Justice Reform, Evidence and Analysis Unit), Ministry of Justice

Service Personnel and Veterans Agency's Prison In-Reach

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners who were formerly members of the armed forces have been identified by the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency's Prison In-Reach programme in each  (a) nation and  (b) region in which they have been held in each year since the programme's inception.

Kevan Jones: I have been asked to reply.
	The Veterans Prison In-Reach initiative aims to raise awareness among ex-service offenders and their families about the help and assistance that is available to them. The Ministry of Justice and the MOD are working together with the ex-service charities, including The Royal British Legion, SSAFA-Forces Help and Combat Stress, to publicise the initiative and to target better those who need assistance. I will arrange for copies of our new leaflet and poster publicising the Veterans Prison In-Reach initiative to be placed in the Library of the House.
	The Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA) Welfare Service has the capability to respond to referrals as part of their normal business. Consequently, no specific funding has been provided under this initiative.
	On contacting the SPVA, prison authorities (welfare) and ex-service offenders are referred to the Veterans Welfare Service which has the capability to offer help and advice to them and to their families. The ex-service charities also provide support including financial assistance, help with rent as well as clothing, training, relocation, employment and welfare visits to veterans and to their families.
	Statistics on the number of offenders who are ex-service, the number who contact the SPVA, and the prison establishments they come from are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. We are working closely with the Ministry of Justice to produce up-to-date and authoritative data on the number of our veterans in prison.

Sexual Offences: Compensation

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many awards have been made by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority in relation to serious sexual assaults committed on patients while in the care of the NHS in the last five years.

Claire Ward: In assessing criminal injuries compensation applications, the main information the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (the Authority) requires (in addition to an applicant's personal details) his incident reports from the police to determine whether a crime of violence has taken place; and reports from medical authorities to determine the nature and extent of an applicant's injuries. The Authority does not need details on whether an applicant was in the care of the NHS at the time of the assault, and therefore does not record that information.

Young Offender Institutions

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what percentage of  (a) 12,  (b) 13,  (c) 14,  (d) 15,  (e) 16,  (f) 17,  (g) 18 and  (h) 19 year olds in each young offender institution was detained within 20 miles or 45 minutes travel away from their homes on the latest date for which figures are available.

Maria Eagle: The tables show the percentage of 15-19 year-old male and female offenders in young offender institutions (YOIs) who were detained within 20 miles of their home area, as of September 2008. Home area is taken as a prisoner's home address. If no home address is recorded the court of first committal is used as a proxy. We do not hold reliable data for travel times between YOIs and home areas. Those aged 12 to 14 are not held in YOIs.
	
		
			  Percentage of 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 year-olds in each young offender institution detained within 20 miles or 45 minutes travel away from their homes on the latest date for which figures are available 
			   Male YOI 
			   Percentage of 15 year-olds held within 20 miles of home area  Percentage of 16 year-olds held within 20 miles of home area  Percentage of 17 year-olds held within 20 miles of home area  Percentage of 18 year-olds held within 20 miles of home area  Percentage of 19 year-olds held within 20 miles of home area 
			 Ashfield 15 8 10 10 0 
			 Aylesbury n/a n/a n/a 1 1 
			 Brinsford 83 81 74 64 69 
			 Castington 0 0 6 5 0 
			 Cookham Wood 0 13 19 50 n/a 
			 Deerbolt n/a n/a n/a 3 2 
			 Feltham 67 46 58 68 68 
			 Glen Parva n/a n/a n/a 13 15 
			 Hindley 71 70 68 44 52 
			 Huntercombe 3 2 3 6 n/a 
			 Lancaster Farms 0 0 1 4 5 
			 Northallerton n/a n/a n/a 0 2 
			 Portland n/a n/a n/a 1 1 
			 Reading n/a n/a n/a 39 28 
			 Rochester n/a n/a n/a 9 8 
			 Stoke Heath 10 9 2 12 10 
			 Swinfen Hall n/a n/a n/a 10 24 
			 Thorn Cross n/a n/a 0 25 17 
			 Warren Hill 4 9 7 0 n/a 
			 Werrington 0 5 1 0 n/a 
			 Wetherby 23 26 23 15 n/a 
		
	
	
		
			   Female YOI 
			   Percentage of 15 year-olds held within 20 miles of home area  Percentage of 16 year-olds held within 20 miles of home area  Percentage of 17 year-olds held within 20 miles of home area  Percentage of 18 year-olds held within 20 miles of home area  Percentage of 19 year-olds held within 20 miles of home area 
			 Askham Grange n/a n/a n/a 0 0 
			 Downview n/a 100 53 n/a 0 
			 Drake Hall n/a n/a n/a 0 33 
			 Eastwood Park n/a n/a 0 18 5 
			 Foston Hall n/a n/a 13 33 100 
			 Holloway n/a n/a n/a 72 39 
			 Low Newton n/a n/a n/a 20 17 
			 New Hall n/a n/a 12 10 6 
			 Styal n/a n/a n/a 21 55

Young Offenders: Sports

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many hours on average a young offender in prison spent playing competitive sport in each of the last five years.

Jack Straw: The average number of hours of recreational sport and educational physical education per offender per week in young offender institutions is:
	
		
			   Average number of hours per offender per week 
			 2004-05 3.5 
			 2005-06 3.3 
			 2006-07 3.2 
			 2007-08 3.4 
			 2008-09 3.5

DEFENCE

3 Squadron

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the annual operating costs for 3 Squadron based at RAF Coningsby are.

Bill Rammell: The annual operating costs for 3 Squadron for FY 2008-09 were £15 million excluding cost of capital charges.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 8 June 2009,  Official Report, column 697W, whether his Department has procedures to  (a) (i) minimise and (ii) record the risk to civilians from use of enhanced blast munitions and  (b) investigate cases of injury and death caused to citizens by such munitions in Afghanistan.

Bob Ainsworth: We regret incidents where civilians are accidentally killed as a result of actions by international forces. Procedures are in place, and constantly updated in the light of experience, both to minimise the risk of these casualties occurring and to investigate any incidents that do happen. UK personnel operate at all times under rules of engagement which ensure that force is used in accordance with international humanitarian law. This ensures that civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure are minimised. Wherever possible, local populations are warned of impending operations. We should remember the insurgents are the real threat to the safety and security of the Afghan people by their indiscriminate use of violence. ISAF forces are not present on a permanent basis in many parts of Afghanistan, which makes it difficult to monitor atrocities against the civilian population by the Taliban. The UK Government do not collate or publish figures for civilian casualties in Afghanistan because of the immense difficulty and risks of collecting robust data, including the nature of any munitions involved.
	All reports of civilian casualties are investigated promptly and thoroughly, in co-ordination with the Afghan authorities.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers of  (a) the Welsh Guards and  (b) the Royal Welsh Regiment deployed in Afghanistan have been (i) killed, (ii) injured, (iii) seriously injured and (iv) very seriously injured in each month of the deployment; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: Between the commencement of operations in Afghanistan in 2001 and 8 July 2009, five members of the Welsh Guards and one member of the Royal Welsh Regiment have died while on deployment or as a result of injuries sustained on deployment, all were the result of hostile action. All six deaths happened in 2009, of which one occurred in each month from March to June and two in July.
	Since operations began in Afghanistan in 2001 and 15 June 2009, the latest date for which casualty information is available, 13 members of the Welsh Guards and 18 members of the Royal Welsh Regiment have been injured while on deployment in Afghanistan. These figures are provided in the following table:
	
		
			  Regiment  All  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009 (as at 15 June) 
			 All 31 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 2 17 
			 Welsh Guards 13 - - - - - - 1 - 12 
			 Royal Welsh Regiment 18 - - - - - - 11 2 5 
		
	
	The figures represent UK operational casualties in Afghanistan from 7 October 2001 to 15 June 2009. The figures include injuries as a result of hostile action and non-battle injuries, and exclude all casualties from natural causes.
	The figures include all injury categories from the NOTICAS reporting system (Very Seriously Injured, Seriously Injured, Incapacitating Injury and Unlisted Condition).
	Information on the breakdown of very seriously and seriously injured casualties by month is not released to protect individual identities.
	Casualty statistics for UK Military and Civilian personnel in Afghanistan are routinely updated for each fortnight on the MOD website. The tables can be found at the following link:
	http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/FactSheets/Operations Factsheets/OperationsInAfghanistanBritishCasualties.htm

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of its operations in Afghanistan in  (a) 2009-10 and  (b) 2010-11; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: The estimated cost of operations in Afghanistan for this financial year is £3.5 billion as recently published for the first time in MOD's main estimates. The cost of military operations is dependent on a number of variable factors which are difficult to predict, including changes to operational tempo and the actual conditions in theatre at the time. We do not, therefore, attempt to project costs for subsequent years.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 24 June 2009,  Official Report, column 899W, on Afghanistan: peacekeeping operations, how many British troops were required to serve in the Regional Command South Headquarters between May 2007 and February 2008.

Bill Rammell: Between May 2007 and February 2008, the UK was responsible for filling approximately 80 posts within Regional Command South Headquarters from a total of some 400 posts. The actual number of UK personnel would have fluctuated over this period due to individual tour lengths.

Armed Forces

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations he has received on formal commemoration of the achievements of the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes.

Kevan Jones: I can confirm that the Secretary of State for Defence has not received any recent representations regarding formal commemoration of the achievements of the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI). I am however pleased to express my gratitude to NAAFI for their continued worldwide support to our Service personnel.

Armed Forces Day: Finance

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  which Armed Forces Day 2009 events received funding from his Department; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many applications for funding from his Department for events to commemorate Armed Forces Day 2009 were not granted; and if he will make a statement.

Kevan Jones: There is one recorded case only of funding not being granted to an event. This related to an event where Ministry of Defence funding had already been given to the local council. The organisers were advised to join forces with the council to create one larger event.
	The Ministry of Defence provided grants to 85 event organisers from across the United Kingdom. A list of the event locations is as follows:
	Chatham
	Cardiff
	Blackpool
	Plymouth
	Southport
	RAF Shawbery
	Torbay
	Perranporth
	Rhyl
	Trowbridge
	Weymouth
	Luton
	Caernarfon
	Southend
	Swanage
	Okehampton
	Beverley
	Carrickfergus
	Hastings
	Normanton
	Portsmouth
	Bridgewater
	Shotton
	The National Arboretum
	Shipdham
	Hull
	Sleaford
	Swindon
	Liverpool
	Isle of Man
	Middle Wallop
	Chepstow
	Horley
	Eastleigh
	Eden Camp
	Stirling
	Andover
	Nottingham
	Kelso
	Truro
	Odiham, Hants
	Ryde, Isle of Wight
	Edinburgh
	Crawley
	Coppice Park, Notts
	Sporle
	Castle Point
	Brighton
	Manchester
	Aberdeen
	Leeds
	Salford
	Staveley
	Elgin, Moray
	Lowestoft
	Bracknell
	Bradford
	Worthing
	Dorchester
	East Grinstead
	South Gloucestershire
	Halifax
	Surrey (Royal British Legion)
	Scarborough
	Greater London Authority
	Birmingham
	Clevedon
	Eastbourne
	Reading
	Salisbury
	Durham
	Glasgow
	Greenford
	Dudley
	Barrow-in-Furness
	Abingdon
	East Barnet
	Ellesmere Port
	Dundee
	Folkestone
	Ealing
	Barnet
	Bourne, Lines
	Wigan
	Dover.

Armed Forces: Death

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what targets his Department has set for the timetable against which inquests into the deaths of members of the armed forces killed in action should be completed; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my predecessor gave her on 12 January 2009,  Official Report, column 6, where he stated that it has been one of his priorities to eliminate unnecessary delay and I am pleased that we continue to make progress on this.
	The timing of individual inquests is a matter for the coroner to decide, taking into account all relevant circumstances, including in particular the availability of the bereaved family and demands for other, non-military inquests. So it would be inappropriate for MOD to set targets. But we have been working closely with families and coroners to provide them with all the information they operations need so that inquests into the deaths of Service personnel who die on operations can be held as quickly as possible. Some such inquests are now being held as little as seven months after the death and others within eight to 10 months. Some inquests have to await the outcome of complex technical or other investigations and it is right that they do so. I remain committed to doing all we can to reduce the timeframe in which such inquests are held so that families can get the answers to their questions and be helped in coming to terms with their tragic loss.

Armed Forces: Ethnic Groups

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people from black and ethnic minority backgrounds applied to join the armed forces in 2008.

Kevan Jones: In financial year 2008-09,759 people from black and ethnic minority backgrounds applied to join the naval service, 2,555 to join the Army and 657 to join the RAF. These figures do not include Ghurkha applications.

Armed Forces: Ethnic Groups

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people from black and ethnic minority backgrounds successfully applied for a commission in the armed forces in 2008.

Kevan Jones: In 2008 1,810 out of a total of 21,810 successful applicants for the intake to UK regular forces were from ethnic minority backgrounds.
	Due to ongoing validation of data from the Joint Personnel Administration System, all flow statistics from financial year 2007-08 are provisional and subject to review.

Armed Forces: Females

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many women applied to join the armed forces in 2008.

Kevan Jones: In financial year 2008-09,1,830 women applied to join the naval service, 2,134 to join the Army and 3,351 to join the RAF.

Armed Forces: Males

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many men applied to join the armed forces in 2008.

Kevan Jones: In financial year 2008-09,12,641 men applied to join the naval service, 20,701 to join the Army and 14,276 to join the RAF.

Armed Forces: Minorities

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to increase applications for service in the armed forces from minority groups.

Kevan Jones: The armed forces are committed to becoming more representative of the society they serve and invest considerable resources to this end.
	For details of our work to increase applications from ethnic minority groups, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 10 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1876W.
	The under representation of women in the armed forces is recognised and we continue to encourage women to join through recruitment campaigns which raise awareness of the benefits of a career in the armed forces. These campaigns concentrate on the opportunities for training and the acquisition of professional qualifications, and to dispel fears and myths about life in the services. The armed forces also offer a generous maternity scheme to provide supportive arrangements to enable servicewomen to accommodate pregnancy and maternity absence within their careers.
	The armed forces are exempt from the employment provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. However, we demonstrate our willingness to follow the spirit of disability legislation by recruiting people who may have some degree of impairment and by retaining a significant number of personnel who have become disabled in the course of their duties.
	The armed forces are equal opportunity employers and therefore are only interested in the individual's qualities and abilities not in such issues as their background, religion or sexual orientation which are considered private matters and not relevant to an individual's suitability for a career in the armed forces. We aim to provide a working environment where individuals can freely practise their religious observances or where individuals are free to be open about their orientation should they wish. Recruitment strategies encourage lesbian, gay and bisexual people to consider a career in the armed forces. For example, representatives from all three services took part in uniform in a parade as part of the London Pride event in July 2009.

Armed Forces: Social Clubs

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information his Department holds on the number of service personnel social clubs which have closed in each of the last 30 years.

Kevan Jones: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to what  (a) type and  (b) level of mine resistance tests the Navistar Defence Husky vehicle tactical support has been subjected; and if he will publish the results.

Quentin Davies: Husky has successfully passed stringent mine blast protection tests. I cannot, however, comment on the specific types and levels of mine resistant tests, as disclosure could prejudice the security of the armed forces.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 2 July 2009,  Official Report, column 374W, on armoured fighting vehicles, what roles the 334 Panther vehicles not upgraded for deployment in Afghanistan will have.

Quentin Davies: The Panther vehicles that have not been upgraded for deployment in Afghanistan will be used for pre-deployment training, individual and collective training, and trials and development.

BVT Shipyards

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether the proposed terms of business agreement between his Department and BVT Shipyards includes provision for rationalisation of BVT facilities during its lifetime;
	(2)  what recent discussions he has had with BVT Shipyards on redundancies arising from shipyard rationalisation; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what discussions he has had with BVT Shipyards on their plans for shipyard rationalisation.

Quentin Davies: As stated in the 2005 Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS, Cmnd 6697), MOD is committed to sustaining key sovereign capabilities, particularly in high end design, systems engineering and combat systems integration, to support the needs of the Royal Navy today and well into the future. As well as securing future capability, the DIS also signalled the need for a sensible balance between supply and demand over time. MOD is working with industry to make best use of taxpayers' money in seeking opportunities for rationalisation and the delivery of efficiencies wherever possible.
	As part of ongoing commercial negotiations on a 15-year Terms of Business Agreement with BVT Surface Fleet Limited (BVT), we are discussing the workload required to sustain these key skills and capability in the shipyards. In return, BVT will be expected to achieve efficiency targets. This will provide a sound, long-term basis for the future of naval shipbuilding.
	It is quite normal in long-term industrial partnership agreements between the MOD and defence suppliers that provision should be made for redundancy costs to be met at customer expense in certain circumstances, but MOD has made no plans for redundancies in the shipyards.

Departmental Data Protection

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many breaches of information security there have been at  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies in the last five years.

Kevan Jones: During the four-year period ending 31 March 2008, 12 significant breaches of information security were centrally reported within the Ministry of Defence. Figures for 2008-09 are currently being compiled, audited and verified prior to laying before Parliament in the Department's Annual Report and Accounts 2008-09.

Departmental Databases

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what categories of personal information on members of the public will be held on each of his Department's and its agency's databases expected to become operational in the next five years; what estimate he has made of the likely number of individuals' details each such database will hold when fully operational; and if he will make a statement.

Kevan Jones: Ministry of Defence officials are currently collating and validating the data needed to answer these questions. I will write to the hon. Member before the summer recess.

Departmental Electronic Equipment

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) photocopiers,  (b) scanning devices and  (c) fax machines, excluding multi-function devices, there are in his Department; how many there were in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Quentin Davies: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Manpower

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what change in the number of jobs at his Department's bases in each  (a) county in England and Wales and  (b) local authority area in Scotland was in each year since 1992; and if he will make a statement.

Kevan Jones: Data for the number of job losses at MOD bases are not centrally held and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Training

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on IT training for its staff in each of the last five years.

Kevan Jones: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Expenditure on IT training must be necessary, appropriate, cost-effective and an admissible charge to public funds.

Gurkhas: Pensions

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will bring forward proposals to provide pensions equal to those for UK soldiers for Gurkhas who retired from the armed forces prior to 1997.

Kevan Jones: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for Armed Forces on 7 July 2009,  Official Report, column 659W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Attercliffe (Mr. Betts)

Gurkhas: Pensions

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Heywood and Middleton (Jim Dobbin) of 19 June 2009,  Official Report, column 512W, on Gurkhas: pensions, what proportion of the £1.5 billion estimated cost to his Department he expects to be incurred in each of the next 20 years.

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 19 June 2009,  Official Report, column 512W, on Gurkhas: pensions, what methodology his Department used to calculate the figure of £1.5 billion; and what estimate he has made of how much of this expenditure would be incurred in each year over which such expenditure is planned.

Kevan Jones: I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave on 8 July 2009,  Official Report, column 788W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew). A breakdown of the estimated cost could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Met Office

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether  (a) he and  (b) officials of his Department plan to meet private sector stakeholders as part of his Department's ongoing review of the Met Office.

Kevan Jones: The Operational Efficiency Programme (OEP) Met Office Review Group is comprised of officials from the Ministry of Defence, Shareholder Executive, HM Treasury and the Met Office and meets regularly in undertaking the review.
	This group is responsible for taking forward all aspects of the Met Office review as set out in the OEP Final Report published April 2009. In exploring all options and opportunities, this has included initial discussions regarding opportunities for engaging with private sector partners, although to date the group has not met with private sector stakeholders. This aspect of the work is at an early stage, and more detailed work on this topic will be taking place over the coming months. A further update on progress of the review will be provided with the pre-Budget report.
	The Secretary of State for Defence has no current plans to meet private sector stakeholders as part of the OEP Review of the Met Office.

Met Office

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date he and officials of his Department will first meet the Operational Efficiency Programme project team to consider the future of the Met Office.

Kevan Jones: The Operational Efficiency Programme (OEP) Met Office Review Group is comprised of officials from the Ministry of Defence, Shareholder Executive, HM Treasury and the Met Office and meets regularly in undertaking the review. The group first met on 19 January 2009. The Secretary of State for Defence has no current plans to attend Review Group Meetings, but receives regular updates on the work of the Review Group.

Met Office

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the decision on the future of the Met Office to be announced.

Kevan Jones: The Operational Efficiency Programme has taken a tailored approach to each of the studies in its remit, and carries out a rolling programme of work that reports at six-monthly intervals. Work is now under way on the next steps set out for the Met Office review in the OEP Final Report published April 2009, with the findings of this work dictating the timing of the study's recommendations. Progress will next be reported at the pre-Budget report 2009.

Met Office

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will commission research into international comparisons with public sector weather service providers as part of his consideration of the future of the Met Office.

Kevan Jones: The Secretary of State for Defence has no current plans to commission research into international comparisons with public weather service providers as part of his consideration of the future of the Met Office.

Military Aircraft

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assumption has been made for planning purposes of the service entry date for the Joint Strike Fighter.

Bob Ainsworth: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Minister for Defence Equipment and Support on 18 June 2009,  Official Report, column 465W.

Military Aircraft

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) required and  (b) actual number of pilots in the armed forces is for the MR2 aircraft.

Bill Rammell: As at 9 July 2009, the required and actual number of pilots in the armed forces for the Nimrod MR2 aircraft is provided in the table.
	
		
			  Aircraft type-Nimrod MR2 
			   Number 
			 Required pilots 58 
			 Actual pilots 46 
		
	
	The reason for the variation is that there is a temporary increase in the number of pilots required, as the MR2 Force transitions to MRA4, and as personnel are retrained and transferred to the MRA4.

Military Aircraft

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) required and  (b) actual number of pilots in the armed forces is for the GR4 aircraft.

Bill Rammell: The required and actual number of pilots in the armed forces for the Tornado GR4 aircraft is given in the following table:
	
		
			  Aircraft type  Required  p ilots  Actual  p ilots 
			 Tornado GR4 134 129 
		
	
	The variation is due to a number of factors such as promotion, assignment of pilots to other aircraft or ground posts, medical downgrading or leaving the Service.

RAF Chilmark: Finance

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much expenditure in each cost category was incurred in respect of the former RAF Chilmark site in 2008-09.

Kevan Jones: Those elements of the former RAF Chilmark Site that have not been sold are managed by Defence Estates (DE)-the Ministry of Defence organisation with responsibility for the defence estate.
	In financial year 2008-09, DE incurred the following costs:
	
		
			  Cost Category  Details  Cost incurred (£) 
			 Land Contamination Hydrogeological Site investigation 5,000 
			 Ecology/ Conservation Installation of a bat grille across a mine entrance 15,000 
			 Legal Fees For work relating to parts of site previously sold 415

Raiding Craft: Navy

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many raiding craft there have been in the Royal Navy in each year since 1997.

Quentin Davies: There are currently 111 raiding craft in service with the Royal Navy. Detailed records for each year since 1997 are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. From the limited information available, however, it is estimated that there have been between 111 and 120 boats in service in each year since 1997.

Reserve Forces

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contributions  (a) the Department for Communities and Local Government and  (b) local authorities have made to his Department's Supporting Britain's Reservists and Employers campaign.

Kevan Jones: The Department for Communities and Local Government have endorsed SaBRE's (Supporting Britain's Reservists and Employers) public statement of support.
	To date, 222 local authorities have confirmed details of their supportive policies to SaBRE and endorsed SaBRE's public statement of support. A list of these 222 supportive authorities can be found at:
	www.sabre.mod.uk

Service Personnel and Veterans Agency: Prisoners

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what funding his Department has allocated to the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency's Prison In-Reach programme in each year since the programme's inception;
	(2)  how many prisoners have  (a) participated in and  (b) been otherwise assessed by the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency's Prison In-Reach programme in each prison in each year since the programme's inception; and what the (a) name and (b) location is of each prison which has participated.

Kevan Jones: The Veterans Prison In-Reach initiative aims to raise awareness among ex-service offenders and their families about the help and assistance that is available to them. The Ministry of Justice and the MOD are working together with the ex-service charities, including The Royal British Legion, SSAFA-Forces Help and Combat Stress, to publicise the initiative and to target better those who need assistance. I will arrange for copies of our new leaflet and poster publicising the Veterans Prison In-Reach initiative to be placed in the Library of the House.
	The Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA) Welfare Service has the capability to respond to referrals as part of their normal business. Consequently, no specific funding has been provided under this initiative.
	On contacting the SPVA, prison authorities (welfare) and ex-service offenders are referred to the Veterans Welfare Service which has the capability to offer help and advice to them and to their families. The ex-service charities also provide support including financial assistance, help with rent as well as clothing, training, relocation, employment and welfare visits to veterans and to their families.
	Statistics on the number of offenders who are ex-service, the number who contact the SPVA, and the prison establishments they come from are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. We are working closely with the Ministry of Justice to produce up-to-date and authoritative data on the number of our veterans in prison.

UK Health Departments Partnership Board: Meetings

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions his Department has been represented at a meeting of the UK Health Departments Partnership Board in each year since 2007; and which  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials in his Department have attended each such meeting.

Kevan Jones: The joint MOD/UK Health Departments Partnership Board meets three times a year. It is chaired alternately by senior officials from MOD and the Department of Health, and has a membership drawn from MOD, the UK Health Departments and the NHS. Government Ministers do not attend.
	The Partnership Board has met on eight occasions since January 2007.
	Attendees at individual meetings will include both standing board members as well as other departmental officials, who are invited on an individual basis for discussion of specific agenda items. The following table shows which individual posts have been present at each meeting, and includes both standing members and ad hoc attendees:
	
		
			   2007  2008  2009 
			   1 Feb  12 Jun  29 Oct  18 Feb  3 Jun  7 Oct  10 Feb  16 Jun 
			  Joint Chairs 
			 DMSD-DCDS (Health) Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present 
			 DH-Chief Executive Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Present - Present Present Present Present Present Present 
			  
			  MOD attendees 
			 DMSD-Surgeon General Present Present Present Present Present - - - 
			 DMSD-ACDS (Health) - - - - Present - Present Present 
			 DMSD-Director Strategic Change - - - - - - - Present 
			 Army Medical Directorate-Chief of Staff - - - - - - - Present 
			 Army Primary Heath Care Service-Director - - - - - - - Present 
			 Defence Dental Services-Chief of Staff - - - - - Present Present Present 
			 Defence Dental Services-AD Clinical - - Present - - - - - 
			 RN-Asst Chief of Staff-Medical - - - - - - - Present 
			 RAF-Chief of Staff-Health - - - - - - - Present 
			 DMETA-Chief Executive - - Present Present Present - Present - 
			 DMETA-Director Change Programme Present Present - - - - - - 
			 DMSD-Asst Director Information Management - Present Present - - - - - 
			 DMSD-Asst Director Nursing - Present - - - - - - 
			 DMSD-Asst Director - - Present - Present - - - 
			 DMSD-Asst Director Armed Forces Pay - - Present - - - - - 
			 DMSD-Asst Director Resource and Plans - Present - - - - - - 
			 DMSD- Asst Director Secretariat Present Present Present Present Present - - Present 
			 DMSD-Cross Government Lead (Health) Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present 
			 DMSD-DMICP - - - - - - Present Present 
			 DMSD-Director General Healthcare Present Present - Present - - - - 
			 DMSD-Director Healthcare Present Present Present Present Present - Present - 
			 DMSD-Director Medical Finance and Secretariat Present Present Present Present - Present - Present 
			 DMSD- DMICP Project Director - - - - - Present Present Present 
			 DMSD-DMICP-CfH Project Manager - - - - - - - - 
			 DMSD-Secretariat 1 - - - Present - - - - 
			 DMSD-Secretariat lb Present Present Present Present Present Present Present - 
			 DMSD-DCDS (Health)/MA Present - Present - - - - - 
			 DMSD-Surgeon General/MA Present - - - - - - - 
			 Land Command- S01 Org Plan - - - - Present - - - 
			 National Employer Advisory Board-Chairman - - - Present - - Present - 
			 Reserve Forces and Cadets Division-Capability Policy - - - - Present - - - 
			 Reserve Forces and Cadets Division-Deputy Director Operations Present - Present Present - Present Present - 
			 Service Personnel Command Paper-RN - - - - - Present - - 
			 Service Personnel Command Paper-Team Leader - - - Present Present - - - 
			 Service Personnel Policy-Medical Present Present - - - - - - 
			 SP Po-l-Service Community Support-Asst Director - - Present - - - - - 
			 Veterans Policy Unit-Director - - Present Present Present Present - Present 
			 Joint Medical Command-Commander Defence Medical Group - - - - - - - Present 
			  
			  UK Health Departments/NHS attendees 
			 DH-Assistant Senior Partnership Co-ordinator Present Present - - - - - - 
			 DH-Associate Chief Medical Officer - - Present Present - - Present - 
			 DH-Cross Government Lead (Health) - - Present Present Present Present Present Present 
			 DH-Deputy Director of Provider Development - Present - - - - - - 
			 DH-Director of Non-Medical Education, Pay and Pensions - - - - - - Present - 
			 DH-Director General Policy and Strategy Directorate - - Present - - - - Present 
			 DH-Head Emergency Preparedness - - Present Present - - - - 
			 DH-Head of Darzi Review - - Present - - - - - 
			 DH-Darzi Review Team - - - - Present - - - 
			 DH-Head of Primary Dental Services - - Present - - - - - 
			 DH-Head of Social Care (representative) - - - - Present - - - 
			 DH-Head of Social Care Policy and Innovation - - - Present - - - - 
			 DH-Liaison Home Counties (Connecting for Health) Present Present Present - - - - - 
			 DH-Stakeholder and Partner Relationships - - - Present Present - - Present 
			 DH-Senior Advisor on Mental Health Foundation Trust Policy and Implementation - Present - - - - - - 
			 DH-Senior Information Officer - Present - - - - - - 
			 DH-Senior Partnership Co-ordinator Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present 
			 DH-Senior Policy Adviser, Mental Health Programme Present Present - - - - - - 
			 Frimley Park NHS Hospital Trust-Chief Executive Present Present Present - - Present Present - 
			 Frimley Park NHS Trust-Deputy Chief Executive - - - - Present - Present - 
			 Hull Teaching PCT-Chief Executive Present Present Present Present Present - Present - 
			 National Assembly for Wales-Chief Nursing Officer Present Present - - - - - - 
			 National Assembly for Wales-Community, Primary Care and Health Services Policy Division - - - - Present - - - 
			 National Assembly for Wales-Department of Health and Social Services - - - - - Present Present Present 
			 National Assembly for Wales-Policy Manager - - Present Present - - - - 
			 NHS Connecting for Health - - - - - - Present Present 
			 NHS Connecting for Health-Group Programme Director - - - - - - Present - 
			 Northern Ireland Assembly-Chief Medical Officer - - Present - - - - - 
			 Northern Ireland Assembly-Director Primary Care - - - - - - - Present 
			 Regional Director of Public Health (South Central Strategic Health Authority) Present Present - -- - - - - 
			 Regional Director of Public Health (South West) - - - - Present Present - - 
			 Scottish Executive-Armed Forces and Veterans Team Policy Adviser - - - - - - Present - 
			 Scottish Executive-Deputy Chief Medical Officer Present Present Present Present - - - - 
			 Scottish Executive-Senior Medical Officer - - - - Present Present Present - 
			 Scottish Executive-Armed Forces and Veterans Team Leader - - - - - Present - - 
			 Surrey PCT-Commissioning and Contract Lead - - - - - - Present - 
			 University College London Hospital-Director Human Resources - Present - - Present - Present - 
			 Wiltshire PCT-Director of Public Health - Present Present - - - - - 
			 Wiltshire PCT-Public Health - - Present - - - - - 
			 Wiltshire PCT-Public Health - - Present - - - - - 
			  Key: DMSD = Defence Medical Services Department (now Surgeon General's Department) DMETA = Defence Medical Education and Training Agency (now Joint Medical Command) DMICP = Defence Medical Information Capability Programme PCT = Primary Care Trust

WORK AND PENSIONS

Atos

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost was of medical assessments carried out by Atos Health on behalf of her Department from 1 March 2008 to 28 February 2009.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Department for Work and Pensions re-awarded Atos Origin IT Services Ltd., trading as Atos Healthcare, a new contract to perform medical services on behalf of the Department from 1 September 2005.
	The total cost of these services from 1 March 2008 to February 2009 was £80,589,204. This figure not only covers the total number of examinations undertaken across all benefits, but also costs relating to written and verbal medical advice, fixed overheads, administrative costs, investment in new technology and other service improvements.
	The individual cost of medical assessments carried out by Atos Healthcare is commercially sensitive information. To disclose this information would prejudice the interest of Atos Healthcare and the Department's future dealings with Atos Healthcare or other service providers.

Carer's Allowance: Essex

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were receiving carer's allowance in  (a) Essex and  (b) Castle Point on the latest date for which figures are available.

Jonathan R Shaw: The available information is in the following table:
	
		
			  Carer ' s allowance: Cases in payment in Essex local authority area and Castle Point parliamentary constituency, November 2008 
			   Number 
			 Essex 9,140 
			 Castle Point 710 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.  2. Totals show the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and exclude people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended.   Source:  DWP Information Directorate Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study.

Children: Maintenance

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  on how many and what proportion of applications for maintenance the Child Support Agency and its successor made decisions on the award of maintenance within three months of receipt in each year since 1993;
	(2)  how many applications for child support made to the Child Support Agency resulted in no maintenance calculation being made because one of the parents could not be identified in each year since 1993.

Helen Goodman: holding answer 8 June 2009
	The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have therefore asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to my right hon. Friend with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
	; and
	You also asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many applications for child support made to the Child Support Agency resulted in no maintenance calculation being made because one of the parents could not be identified in each year since 1993.
	The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission regularly publish information on the time taken to clear maintenance applications in Table 3 of the Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary of Statistics (QSS). The latest copy of which is available in the House of Commons library online and at:
	www.childmaintenance.org/publications/statistics.html
	The latest figures show that 82% of applications received in December 2008 were cleared within 12 weeks, compared to just 30% cleared in 12 weeks by March 2005, the year before the Operational Improvement Plan was introduced.
	However the additional information that you have requested is not regularly published and is therefore provided in the attached table. This shows the number and proportion of current scheme applications that were cleared in each financial year within 12 weeks of receipt. This information is only available for current scheme cases and so can not be reported prior to 2003, when the current scheme was introduced.
	It should be noted that since the beginning of the Operational Improvement Plan in 2006, the volume of uncleared new scheme applications has reduced from 220,600 to 49,200, a fall of 78%.
	The information you also requested on the number of applications made to the Child Support Agency that resulted in no maintenance calculation being made because one of the parents could not be identified, is not available as this information is not recorded for management information purposes.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.
	
		
			  Number of applications cleared each year within 12 weeks and as a percentage of claims received 
			   Number cleared within 12 weeks  Number cleared as a percentage of cases received in year 
			 2003-04 75,200 28 
			 2004-05 88,600 32 
			 2005-06 138,200 47 
			 2006-07 161,000 60 
			 2007-08 216,600 79 
			 2008-09 143,300 84 
			  Notes: 1. Only includes current scheme cases. Data not available prior to March 2003. 2. Cleared applications are those that have had a maintenance calculation carried out and a payment arrangement between the parent with care and non-resident parent put in place; a maintenance calculation carried out and nil liability established; a parent with care has been identified as claiming Good Cause or is subject to a Reduced Benefit Decision; the application is identified as being a change of circumstance on an existing case; or the application has been closed. 3. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100. 4. Includes clerical cases. 5. Number of cases cleared within 12 weeks expressed as a percentage of applications received.

Children: Maintenance

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children are receiving maintenance payments calculated by the Child Support Agency; and in how many such cases the non-resident parent is in arrears.

Helen Goodman: holding answer 15 June 2009
	The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have therefore asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to my right hon. Friend with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many children are receiving maintenance payments calculated by the Child Support Agency; and in how many such cases the non-resident parent is in arrears.
	It should be noted that the majority of child maintenance cases will have some arrears. In particular all new cases will accrue arrears unless the non-resident parent provides support while the liability is being assessed. The Agency estimates that around a quarter of all cases with arrears owe less than £170 which is less than two monthly maintenance payments.
	As at March 2009, 593,100 cases were receiving maintenance, from which 779,800 children benefited. Of these 593,100 cases, there are approximately 436,600 cases where the non-resident parent has arrears outstanding.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Children: Maintenance

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what account the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission takes of shared custody arrangements in determining levels of child maintenance.

Helen Goodman: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have therefore asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty :
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner. The Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance Enforcement Commission.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what account the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission takes of shared custody arrangements in determining levels of child maintenance.
	Where an application for child maintenance is made, and care of the child or children subject to that application is shared between the parent with care and non-resident parent, the Child Support Agency may in some cases reduce the amount of child maintenance payable as a result.
	Different rules apply to the calculation of child maintenance liabilities, dependent on whether the application for maintenance was effective before the 3rd of March 2003 (such cases are referred to as the old scheme) or received on or after this date (and referred to as the current scheme).
	In the old scheme, the amount of maintenance that a non-resident parent should pay will be reduced if the child or children spends 104 nights or more (on average, throughout the year) in their care. In the current scheme, a non-resident parent's maintenance liability is reduced if the child or children spends an average of 52 nights or more in their care during the year.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Children: Maintenance

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps the Child Support Agency is taking to recalculate child maintenance liabilities for non resident parents whose income is reduced through loss of overtime, short time working or working without pay; how quickly such recalculations are performed on average; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Goodman: holding answer 3 July 2009
	The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have therefore asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Child Support Agency is taking to recalculate child maintenance liabilities for non resident parents whose income is reduced through loss of overtime short time working or working without pay; how quickly such recalculations are performed; and if she will make a statement.
	The Child Support Agency will reassess the maintenance liability from the point at which either parent informs the Agency that the non-resident parent's income has changed. Although the Agency may require further information such as wage slips to complete the reassessment, the date from which the reassessment takes effect will remain the date that the Agency was notified of the change. Information on the time taken to reassess individual cases from the date of notification including gathering the required evidence is not available.
	It should be noted that not all changes in income will result in a reassessment of the child maintenance due. In cases assessed under the current scheme the Agency may not change the amount of child maintenance if the non-resident parent's regular net weekly income changes by less than 5%. For cases assessed under the old scheme, the Agency may not make a change of less than £10 a week, or in cases where there is 'protected income' only where amount the non-resident parent would have to pay would increase by £5 a week or more, or reduce by £1 a week or more.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Council Tax Benefits

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the take-up rate of council tax benefit was in each local authority in the latest period for which figures are available.

Helen Goodman: Estimates of eligibility for council tax benefit are not available below the level of Great Britain.
	The latest estimates of the take-up rates and the number of those entitled to but not receiving council tax benefit are published in the report Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up in 2007-08, copies of which are available in the Library.

Departmental Contracts

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 17 June 2009,  Official Report, column 355W, on department pay, to which employers her Department's contracts have been  (a) let and  (b) sub-let where the location of employment is not exclusive to London in the last five years; what the nature of the work undertaken on each such contract is; what information her Department holds on the grade and location of employment of those working on such contracts; what the duration of each such contract is; and what agreements on union recognition have been reached in relation to each such contract.

Jim Knight: The DWP currently has over 1,000 contracts with external suppliers for a wide range of goods and internal and external services. The Department does not hold this information centrally and it could be obtained only at disproportionate costs.

Departmental Energy

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much  (a) electricity and  (b) gas was used (i) on her Department's estate and (ii) by her Department's agencies in each year from 2004-05 to 2008-09.

Helen Goodman: The following table shows energy consumption information for DWP and its agencies:
	
		
			   Electricity (kWh)  Gas (kWh) 
			 2004-05 328,376,312 363,437,092 
			 2005-06 327,460,763 348,427,210 
			 2006-07 328,992,384 316,398,341 
			 2007-08 299,091,966 282,711,424 
		
	
	Final information for 2008-09 is not yet available.

Departmental Procurement

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what changes have been made to her Department's  (a) office equipment and  (b) stationery purchasing policy in the last six months.

Jim Knight: There have been no changes in DWP office equipment or stationery purchasing policy in the last six months.

Disability Living Allowance

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 3 June 2009,  Official Report, column 541W, on disability living allowance, at what level information is recorded on the number of people claiming disability living allowance where the main disabling condition is recorded as obesity.

Jonathan R Shaw: In October 2008 the set of codes used to record the disabling condition for disability living allowance changed. Primary and Secondary codes replaced codes for Care and Mobility and more fine detail was introduced with respect to disabling condition. Prior to October 2008, there were fewer than 50 categories for disabling condition, but now there are over 500. This information is available for statistical analysis from November 2008.
	However, codes for existing disability living allowance claimants were not updated, so the number of cases with new codes is extremely small compared to the total numbers in receipt of disability living allowance. It is, therefore, not yet possible to produce an estimate of the total number of people claiming disability living allowance with a main disabling condition of obesity.

Future Jobs Fund

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much funding from the Future Jobs Fund has been allocated to each  (a) regional development agency and  (b) local authority; and what targets have been set for each such body in respect of the creation of new jobs.

Jim Knight: The Future Jobs Fund operates a competitive bidding process, with local authorities, partnerships and others able to bid to create jobs through the fund. We are not ring-fencing funding, or setting targets for any particular region or area. However greater emphasis will be given to bids from areas of high unemployment and with high populations of eligible young people.

Hazardous Substances: Storage

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what  (a) large-scale petrol storage depots and  (b) onshore non-nuclear major hazard installations there are in (i) England and (ii) Essex.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 19 June 2009
	The following table shows the number of large-scale petrol storage depots and the number of other major hazard sites subject to the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1999 (as amended) ('COMAH') in Essex and England respectively.
	
		
			   Number 
			  Large-scale petrol storage depots  
			 Essex 5 
			 England 41 
			   
			  COMAH major hazard sites  
			 Essex 31 
			 England 893 
		
	
	Tables listing the relevant sites have been placed in the Library.

Medical Assessors

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what mechanisms her Department has in place to monitor the accuracy and quality of work carried out for her Department by medical assessors.

Jonathan R Shaw: The contract between DWP and Atos Healthcare contains a number of quality targets to measure the performance of health care professionals (HCPs)(1) which are monitored on a monthly basis. Quality and accuracy is regularly monitored through a variety of other methods including monthly management information, customer satisfaction surveys and feedback from complaints. The work of all HCPs is subjected to quality audit which is conducted by experienced medical auditors within Atos Healthcare. The quality of Atos Healthcare's audit is validated by senior medical auditors from Atos Healthcare and doctors working for the Chief Medical Adviser to the DWP.
	(1) The term health care professionals (HCP) covers both registered doctors and registered nurses who conduct medical assessments on behalf of the DWP.

Medical Assessors

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what minimum qualifications are required of medical assessors working for her Department.

Jonathan R Shaw: The contract between DWP and Atos Healthcare specifies minimum recruitment standards that all approved health care professionals (HCPs)(1) must be fully registered with the General Medical Council or Nursing and Midwifery Council without restrictions or conditions and complete a course of training in disability assessment medicine approved by the DWP Chief Medical Adviser (CMA). In addition they must have a minimum of three years post registration experience. In individual cases, solely at the discretion of the CMA, the requirement that no conditions be attached to registration and the requirement that health care professionals have a minimum of three years post registration experience may be waived. In addition all HCPs must be approved by the CMA to the DWP.
	(1) The term health care professionals (HCP) covers both registered doctors and registered nurses who conduct medical assessments on behalf of the DWP.

New Deal Schemes

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the  (a) maximum and  (b) average payment of the New Deal Allowance was to people who had reached the test trading phase of the New Deal in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: Test trading allows the customer to stay on benefits for a short period while they launch their business. This can last for a maximum of six months.
	The amount of new deal allowance paid to individual customers is equivalent to their previous benefit rate (usually jobseeker's allowance) plus a new deal premium of £15.38 a week.

Pathways to Work

Terry Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many participants there have been for each of the Pathways to Work programme providers since inception of the contracts; how many of these  (a) did not attend initial interview,  (b) were referred back to a decision maker for consideration of a sanction and  (c) were placed in sustained employment.

Jim Knight: holding answer 9 July 2009
	Official statistics on the number of participants in Pathways to Work are available up to January 2009, these are published on the Department's website at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/ib_ref_p2w.asp
	Information is not available by provider. Breakdowns are available by district. Data on starts are available up to January 2009. Data on job entries are available up to October 2008 but no data are available to show sustained jobs. Starts and job entries in each Pathways district have been placed in the Library.
	The Department does not hold official statistics on failed to attend interviews or referrals back to decision makers.

Pension Credit

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate she has made of the number of people aged  (a) between 60 and 79 and  (b) 80 years old and over who are eligible for pension credit.

Angela Eagle: The information requested is not available.

Pensions

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the absolute value of the basic state pension for  (a) single pensioners and  (b) pensioner couples has been in each year since 1997-98.

Angela Eagle: The information is in the table.
	
		
			  £ 
			   Weekly basic state pension for single pensioner  Weekly basic state pension for pensioner couple 
			 1997-98 62.45 99.80 
			 1998-99 64.70 103.40 
			 1999-2000 66.75 106.70 
			 2000-01 67.50 107.90 
			 2001-02 72.50 115.90 
			 2002-03 75.50 120.70 
			 2003-04 77.45 123.80 
			 2004-05 79.60 127.25 
			 2005-06 82.05 131.20 
			 2006-07 84.25 134.75 
			 2007-08 87.30 139.60 
			 2008-09 90.70 145.05 
			 2009-10 95.25 152.30 
			  Note:  There are no singles or couples rates as such, the basic state pension is an individual benefit. However, the maximum Category A rate is commonly referred to as the singles rate, and the combination of the maximum Category A rate for a husband and a maximum Category B rate set at (60 per cent. of maximum Category A) for his wife is commonly referred to as the couples rate.

Personal Accounts Scheme: Finance

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the cost of establishing personal accounts schemes; and what proportion of such costs she expects to be recouped from scheme participants;
	(2)  how much grant-in-aid paid the Personal Accounts Delivery Authority has received from her Department in each financial year since its inception;
	(3)  what expenditure the Personal Accounts Delivery Authority has incurred in each financial year since its inception.

Angela Eagle: Revenues from membership charges are intended to cover the cost of personal accounts in the long run, including the cost of setting up the scheme.
	All cost estimates are commercially sensitive until the Personal Accounts Delivery Authority has completed its procurement process. Publishing these estimates now could compromise the Authority's ability to get value for money.
	The following table shows how much funding the Authority has received from the Department and its expenditure in each financial year since its inception.
	
		
			  £ million 
			   2007-08  2008-09  2009-10( 1) 
			 Grant in aid funding-advice to Government on their pension reform programme 3.300 18.485 0.464 
			 Loan funding-for setting up the scheme - 5.623 5.836 
			 PADA expenditure 1.996 30.958 5.504 
			 (1) As at end of May 2009.   Notes:  1. Expenditure figures include capital expenditure plus non-cash depreciation costs.  2. Grant in aid and loan figures represent cash paid to the Authority from the Department within each year.  3. Expenditure figures are recorded on an accruals basis i.e. include costs that have been incurred but not yet paid and non-cash costs such as depreciation. Therefore expenditure figures do not equal the grant in aid and loan figures.  4. Expenditure for 2008-09 exceeded the funding PADA received in that year. The difference was, in the main, funded by cash balances carried forward from the previous year and movements in working capital.  5. Figures for 2008-09 and 2009-10 represent pre-audited outturn and may change.

Remploy

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what her Department's role is in respect of  (a) setting the levels of and  (b) paying (i) salaries and (ii) bonuses at Remploy.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Department is responsible for recruiting and setting the salaries for the chair, chief executive officer and non-executive directors of Remploy. The setting of salaries of all other employees is the responsibility of the company.
	As with all non-departmental public bodies, the Department approves the annual pay remit for Remploy and the overall remuneration package must meet the Treasury civil service pay guidance.
	The Department has approved the performance related pay schemes for the Remploy Executive where targets are now closely linked to achieving key objectives in the five-year modernisation plan. Performance related pay schemes for all other employees are set by the company.

Right to Bid Scheme

Terry Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which Minister has lead responsibility for the Right to Bid scheme; what officials in her Department are working on the scheme; and how many applications to the scheme have been received to date.

Jim Knight: holding answer 6 July 2009
	I have lead responsibility for Right to Bid. Alan Cave, DWP Employment Group Delivery Director, is the lead official for the Right to Bid scheme; he is supported by a central team which administer and manage Right to Bid.
	The Right to Bid initiative was introduced on 1 January 2009 and we are pleased to say that we have had a significant amount of interest. As of 6 July 2009, 91 bids have been received.

Social Security Benefits

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reason disability living allowance is disregarded for the purposes of calculating child maintenance; for what reason war pensions are assessed in calculating child maintenance; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Goodman: holding answer 3 July 2009
	Child maintenance is based on the financial circumstances of parents. State benefits which vary in accordance with a person's financial circumstances (such as war pensions) form part of their overall income and as such are therefore taken into account when the maintenance liability is calculated. However, the level of income required to qualify for a war pension is such that the maximum the vast majority of non-resident parents who are on a war pension would have to pay is £5. That is the case for all of those on the current child maintenance scheme.
	Disability living allowance is a standard payment which, beside the qualifying criteria, i.e. the nature of the disability, takes no account of a person's financial circumstances; it is only the nature of the disability that is a factor and it is specifically designed to enable someone to cope with the extra expense that disability imposes on them. It would not therefore be appropriate to include such payments within the child maintenance calculation.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many  (a) court cases and  (b) convictions there have been for benefit fraud in each of the last five years.

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have been  (a) interviewed on suspicion,  (b) charged with and  (c) convicted of benefit fraud offences in each of the last five years.

Helen Goodman: Information relating to how many people have been  (a) interviewed on suspicion and  (b) charged with benefit fraud offences is not available.
	The available information on the number of people interviewed under caution (for DWP administered benefits) and the number of people that DWP has presented to court for prosecution for benefit fraud offences is detailed in the following tables. Information on local authority prosecutions and convictions is not yet available for 2008-09.
	
		
			  DWP administered benefits 
			   Number of interviews held under caution  Number prosecuted for benefit fraud  Number of convictions for benefit fraud offences 
			 2004-05 - 10,295 9,219 
			 2005-06 - 10,262 8,740 
			 2006-07 - 8,964 6,861 
			 2007-08 - 10,274 7,745 
			 2008-09 44,105 8,840 6,700 
			  Notes: 1. 2008-09 is the first year in which interview under caution data have been collected. 2. The figure provided on the number of interviews held under caution may include the same person more than once. This is because the same person may have been interviewed under caution more than once.  Sources: 1. Interviews under caution data are taken from Fraud Referral and Intervention Management System (FRAIMS). 2. Prosecution and Conviction data for England and Wales are provided by DWP/DH Legal Group. 3. Prosecution and Conviction data for Scotland are taken from Fraud Information by Sector (FIBS) and FRAIMS. 
		
	
	
		
			  Local authority administered benefits 
			   Number prosecuted for benefit fraud  Number of convictions for benefit fraud offences 
			 2003-04 4,601 3,747 
			 2004-05 5,544 4,688 
			 2005-06 7,717 6,234 
			 2006-07 6,023 5,860 
			 2007-08 6,611 6,493 
			  Notes: 1. The decision to prosecute is taken by the appropriate local authority 2. Figures from HOBOD are subject to revision when new or revised data are received from local authorities and uploaded by the Department. 3. Data on the number of interviews held under caution have not been included in this table because 2008-09 is the first year in which interview under caution data have been collected and information on local authority prosecutions and convictions is not yet available for 2008-09.  Source: Housing Benefits Operational Database (HOBOD) using local authority housing benefit administrative returns.

Social Security Benefits: Overseas Residence

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate she has made of the amount wrongly paid in benefits to UK nationals resident abroad in the last 12 months.

Helen Goodman: Between October 2007 and September 2008 an estimated £45 million was wrongly paid to customers who continued to claim benefits to which they were not entitled while they were abroad.
	In order to qualify for DWP means tested benefits, the customer must be habitually resident in the UK. The benefit rules, for some benefits, allow customers to travel abroad for a certain period of time without it affecting their benefit entitlement. The estimates used in this PQ relate to customers that have exceeded this period of time abroad.
	We do not capture customer nationality as part of the claims process and are therefore unable to provide specific figures for UK nationals.

Social Security Benefits: Overseas Residence

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the amount of benefits wrongly claimed by UK nationals resident abroad in each of the last five years.
	(2)  how much was reclaimed from UK nationals resident abroad for benefits wrongly claimed in each of the last five years;
	(3)  what the administrative costs of reclaiming benefits wrongly claimed by UK nationals resident abroad were in each of the last five years.

Helen Goodman: We do not capture customer nationality as part of the claims process and are therefore unable to provide specific figures for UK nationals.
	The only available information on the amounts wrongly paid to customers who continued to claim benefits to which they were not entitled while they were abroad is provided for each of the last five years in the following table.
	
		
			   Amount wrongly paid (£ million) 
			 April 2004 to March 2005 44 
			 April 2005 to March 2006 40 
			 April 2006 to March 2007 96 
			 April 2007 to March 2008 63 
			 October 2007 to September 2008 45 
			  Notes:  In order to qualify for DWP means tested benefits, the customer must be habitually resident in the UK. The benefit rules, for some benefits, allow customers to travel abroad for a certain period of time without it affecting their benefit entitlement. The estimates used in this PQ relate to customers that have exceeded this period of time abroad. The information about how much was reclaimed from UK nationals resident abroad for benefits wrongly claimed in each of the last five years and the administrative costs of reclaiming those benefits is not available.  Source:  National Statistics

Social Security Benefits: Research

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what research her Department is undertaking into the effects of consumer debt on the benefits system.

Jim Knight: My Department part funds the Wealth and Assets Survey. The survey is a longitudinal survey that collects information about the economic well-being of households and individuals including their assets and debts, pension provision, how wealth is distributed and factors that may affect financial planning. The survey panel is made up of 32,000 households who are interviewed once every two years. The first full wave findings are due to be released at the end of 2009, with the second wave currently being undertaken.
	In relation to debt, the Wealth and Assets Survey collects information on household non-mortgage debt and on respondents' attitudes to debt. The survey also collects information on the benefits and tax credits that respondents are in receipt of.
	The Office for National Statistics is conducting the survey which is partly funded by my Department along with several other Government Departments such as BIS, HMT, HMRC, CLG, the Scottish Government and the Cabinet Office.

Winter Fuel Payments

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when she plans to announce the dates of the qualifying week for the Winter Fuel Payment; and if she will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: The qualifying week is set by regulations as the week beginning on the third Monday in September. So, for winter 2009-10, it is the week commencing 21 September 2009.

Pollution: Fines

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been levied in fines by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) against  (a) companies,  (b) local authorities and  (c) individuals for offences committed in relation to pollution of each type (i) in total and (ii) in each region in each year since 1997; and what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of fines levied by the HSE on polluters in preventing further incidences of pollution on the part of (A) those upon whom fines have been imposed and (B) others.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 13 July 2009
	 I have been asked to reply.
	This matter falls within the remit of the Environment Agency; the Health and Safety Executive does not levy pollution-related fines.
	The relevant Environment Agency national enforcement database reports have been placed in the Library of the House. The national enforcement database came online in April 1999. Data are therefore not available for 1997, 1998 and the first three months of 1999.
	The national enforcement database has categories for individuals and companies, but local authorities are classified with other legal entities. The reports provided here titled other therefore include local authorities along with other non-commercial corporate entities.
	The Environment Agency will prosecute a serious pollution offence only when prosecution is considered to be in the public interest. The level of fine imposed is a matter for the sentencing court. All aggravating and mitigating factors and the defendant's ability to pay will be taken into account.
	Prosecution is only one of a number of interventions that the Environment Agency employs and other enforcement tools will also have some effect. The Environment Agency publishes an annual Spotlight report which provides details of the performance of regulated industry sectors and the relevant enforcement action taken. The 2008 report can be viewed at:
	http://publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/pdf/GEHO0708BOFX-E-E.pdf?lang=_e

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the evidential basis was for the statement that, Costs to existing recognised Awarding Bodies are expected to be neutral, on average, in the Impact Assessment of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill relating to the creation of the awarding body regulator, Ofqual and the QCDA.

Iain Wright: The provisions in the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill to create Ofqual have been widely welcomed by awarding bodies and others. The costs of the reforms will depend in large part on how awarding bodies respond to the new regulatory regime. The move to a more strategic approach to regulation-so that Ofqual will not need to accredit every qualification-should reduce awarding body costs. But Ofqual's market regulation role, with its strong powers to ensure value for money in the provision of qualifications, may increase the demands on awarding bodies; and awarding bodies may also have to develop relationships with the new Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency, which will support the development of qualifications. Overall, our best assessment is therefore that the impact of the plans on existing awarding bodies will be cost-neutral.

Children: Day Care

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many registered childcare places for children under eight years old there were in Tamworth constituency in each year since 1997.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available below local authority level.

Children: Day Care

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to his answer of 23 June 2009,  Official Report, column 819W, on children: day care, what his definition is of the term philosophical convictions contained in the Early Years Foundation Stage exemption document.

Dawn Primarolo: Parents may apply to their early years provider for an exemption in respect of their child, where they consider that the Early Years Foundation Stage learning and development requirements, or some element of them, cannot be reconciled with their religious or philosophical convictions.
	The term 'religious and philosophical convictions' is a concept that is understood in legal terms and appears in case law, such as that on the European convention on human rights. It refers to a cogent and serious belief-set or conviction worthy of respect in a democratic society.

Children: Protection

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps his Department is taking to improve child protection services in  (a) Hemel Hempstead constituency,  (b) Dacorum and  (c) Hertfordshire.

Dawn Primarolo: Ofsted's 2007 Joint Area Review of Hertfordshire county council's children's services judged services for safeguarding and looked after children to be inadequate. An external support team worked with the council to improve performance management and safe staffing arrangements. The Department for Children, Schools and Families also part-funded an interim head of fieldwork services for a period of six months. After close monitoring, the council exited intervention following the 2008 annual performance assessment, in which Hertfordshire was judged to be adequate for 'Staying Safe'. The Government Office for the East of England is continuing to work closely with Hertfordshire county council, as Children's Safeguarding Authority, and partner organisations and agencies to strengthen child protection services in the area.
	The Government have made clear its determination to make sure that child protection services in every area meet the needs of the vulnerable children they serve. That is why we asked Lord Laming to prepare an urgent report of progress across the country in implementing effective arrangements for safeguarding children.
	The Government have accepted all of Lord Laming's recommendations and published a detailed action plan on 6 May 2009.

Children's Play: Finance

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what funding his Department has provided for the enhancement of public play facilities in the London Borough of  (a) Redbridge and  (b) Waltham Forest in the last 12 months.

Dawn Primarolo: Following the commitments made in the Children's Plan in 2007 and the national Play strategy in 2008, every top tier local authority in England will receive either play pathfinder or playbuilder funding between 2008-11 through the play capital investment programme.
	On average all play pathfinder authorities will receive around £2 million capital funding and £500,000 revenue funding, while playbuilder authorities will receive around £1 million capital and £45,000 revenue funding. Play pathfinder authorities will use their allocated funding to deliver a minimum of 28 play areas plus a new staffed adventure playground, while playbuilder authorities will deliver a minimum of 22 play areas by 2011. The play areas that are delivered can be either completely new areas or existing areas which are significantly refurbished.
	Redbridge is one of 43 playbuilder authorities across England who began receiving play funding from April 2008, as part of the first wave of the play capital investment.

Class Sizes: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average pupil to teacher ratio in  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools in York was in each year since 1996-97.

Vernon Coaker: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 26 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1837W.
	Local authority figures are not yet available for 2009, but will be published later this summer.

Connexions

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of services provided through Connexions.

Iain Wright: Since April 2008 local authorities have been responsible for providing Connexions services. Under the Education and Skills Act 2008 they have a statutory duty to deliver Connexions, which places services within scope of the Comprehensive Area Assessment. Connexions services contribute to targets in local area agreements. We expect local authorities to assess the quality of their information, advice and guidance (IAG) provision, including that commissioned from Connexions services, against national IAG Quality Standards.

Departmental Internet

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when his Department plans to update its web browsers from Internet Explorer 6.

Vernon Coaker: The Department for Children, Schools and Families currently operates Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 6.0 Service Pack 2. The proposed DCSF Information Strategy (incorporating Systems and Technology) plans are to update the browser during 2010/11 financial year.

Pupils

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many maintained schools have fewer than  (a) 40,  (b) 50,  (c) 60,  (d) 70,  (e) 80,  (f) 90 and  (g) 100 pupils; and if he will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: Local authorities are responsible for planning the pattern of school provision most appropriate to their area. They have to ensure that there are sufficient school places, the needs of the local community are served and good quality education is provided in a cost effective way. Virtually all small primary schools serve rural communities.
	The requested information is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Maintained nursery, primary, state-funded secondary and maintained special schools, size of school, as at January 2009 (provisional), England 
			   All schools  Schools with fewer than 40 pupils( 1)  Schools with fewer than 50 pupils( 1)  Schools with fewer than 60 pupils( 1)  Schools with fewer than 70 pupils( 1)  Schools with fewer than 80 pupils( 1)  Schools with fewer than 90 pupils( 1)  Schools with fewer than 100 pupils( 1) 
			 Maintained Nursery 437 15 35 80 135 204 270 313 
			 Maintained Primary(2) 41 328 615 930 1,274 1,630 1,997 2,410 
			 State-funded Secondary(2, 3) 3,347 0 0 1 2 3 3 5 
			 Maintained Special(4) 983 114 194 294 397 504 594 654 
			 (1) Includes solely registered pupils. (2 )Includes middle schools as deemed. (3 )Includes CTCs and Academies. (4 )Includes General Hospital Schools.  Source:  School Census.

Pupils: Radiation Exposure

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent assessment he has made of the effects on schoolchildren of potential radiation emissions from wireless local area networks in schools; and if he will direct local education authorities to adopt a precautionary approach to the approval of the  (a) installation and  (b) operation of wireless local area networks in schools.

Diana Johnson: The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is the authoritative body on health issues relating to wireless technology. The HPA has consistently and clearly advised schools and local authorities that it does not consider there to be any problem with the safety of WiFi. Its current guidelines state there is no scientific evidence of any health risks from WiFi or that exposures exceed international guidelines and there is absolutely no reason schools should stop using them.
	The HPA announced further research into the use of WiFi in October 2007, details at:
	http://www.hpa.org.uk/webw/HPAwebHPAwebStandard/HPAweb_C/1195733726123?p=1171991026241
	Becta is the Government Agency with responsibility for providing advice to schools and others on various technologies and their use, including their safe use.
	Becta follows the HPA's latest guidance in the advice it produces for schools and other education providers. Becta's current guidance on the use of WiFi equipment in schools is that it provides a useful and flexible option to complement rather than replace hard wired systems. This advice will be reviewed and updated accordingly as and when new guidance is published by the HPA. Becta have engaged with the HPA on elements of the research programme and will monitor closely any emerging findings to ensure that children are offered the best education in a safe and secure environment.

Pupils: Travel

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the number and percentage of children aged 16 years of age and under who  (a) walked and  (b) cycled to school in each year since 1997.

Vernon Coaker: Information on pupils' mode of travel to school has been collected only since 2007. The available information is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Maintained primary( 1) , state-funded secondary( 1, 2)  and special schools( 3) : pupils( 4, 5)  16 and under who walked or cycled to school, as at January each year, England 
			   Pupils who walk to school  Pupils who cycle to school  Pupils for whom travel data were supplied( 7) 
			   Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage 
			 2007 2,531,370 50.0 94,230 1.9 5,065,810 69.0 
			 2008 3,100,510 50.2 120,190 1.9 6,172,180 84.8 
			 2009(8) 3,502,890 50.9 131,300 1.9 6,887,060 95.1 
			 (1 )Includes middle schools as deemed.  (2) Includes CTCs and academies.  (3) Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools. Excludes general hospital schools.  (4 )Pupils aged 16 and under as at 31 August in the previous year.  (5) Excludes boarders.  (6) Expressed as a percentage of those pupils for whom travel data were supplied.  (7) The collection of mode of travel to school data are only mandatory at pupil level for schools with an approved school travel plan.  (8) Provisional   Note:  Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.   Source:  School Census.

Schools: Bullying

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will require schools to record incidents of  (a) bullying between pupils and  (b) verbal and physical abuse of school staff by pupils.

Vernon Coaker: Yes. On 26 September 2008, my predecessor Jim Knight and his colleague Kevin Brennan announced the Government's plan to make it compulsory for schools to record incidents of bullying between pupils, and incidents of verbal or physical abuse against school staff. We plan to launch a full consultation on draft regulations in the autumn, and to lay the regulations next year with a view to them coming into force in September 2010.

Schools: Capital Investment

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what capital funding has been allocated by his Department to schools in the City of York in each year since 2003.

Vernon Coaker: Capital funding allocated by the Department to the City of York for schools in each year since 2003 is set out in the following table:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 2003-04 11.1 
			 2004-05 11.4 
			 2005-06 10.7 
			 2006-07 23.0 
			 2007-08 37.5 
			 2008-09 6.8 
			 2009-10 13.7 
		
	
	The allocations include £14.2 million for targeted capital funding in 2006-07, £28.5 million for a One School Pathfinder School in 2007-08, and £3.0 million for the new Primary School programme in 2009-10, together with an advance in 2009-10 of funding brought forward from 2010-11.

Schools: Crimes of Violence

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what measures his Department has in place to ensure the protection of children against sexual assault on school premises.

Dawn Primarolo: Section 175 of the Education Act 2002 requires governing bodies of maintained schools to make arrangements to ensure that their functions are carried out with a view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. In meeting this duty, schools must have regard to the guidance contained in Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education. This sets out the safeguarding responsibilities of all local authorities and schools, including recruitment best practice, designed to safeguard children from all forms of abuse including sexual abuse. To comply with the guidance, governing bodies of all maintained schools should ensure that:
	the school has a child protection policy in place that is in accordance with local authority guidance and locally agreed inter-agency procedures;
	the school operates safe recruitment procedures and carries out appropriate checks on staff and volunteers who work with children;
	the school operates procedures for dealing with allegations of abuse that comply with guidance from the local authority and locally agreed inter-agency procedures;
	a senior member of the school's leadership team is designated to take lead responsibility for dealing with child protection issues, providing advice and support to other staff, liaising with the local authority and working with other agencies;
	in addition to basic child protection training the designated person undertakes training in inter-agency working to standards agreed by the local safeguarding children board, and refresher training at two yearly intervals;
	all staff who work with children undertake training to equip them to carry out their responsibilities for child protection effectively, and refresher training at three yearly intervals;
	temporary staff and volunteers who work with children are made aware of the school's arrangement for child protection and their responsibilities;
	they remedy without delay any deficiencies or weaknesses in regard to child protection arrangements that are brought to their attention;
	a member of the governing body is nominated to be responsible for liaising with the LA in the event of allegations of abuse being made against the head teacher;
	they review their policies and procedures annually and provide information to the local authority about them and about how the above duties have been discharged.

Schools: Finance

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether any elements of the Targeted Capital Fund have been subject to a moratorium on spending.

Vernon Coaker: No elements of the Targeted Capital Fund, where allocations to schools and local authorities have been confirmed, are subject to a moratorium on spending. However, the Standards and Diversity Targeted Capital Fund is currently closed for new applications. We have always been clear that further allocations would depend on the availability of funds, and these have now been committed.

Schools: Manpower

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will place in the Library a copy of the school workforce census form.

Vernon Coaker: The school workforce census is an electronic data collection from schools and local authorities. The Census is being piloted during 2009 and will go live in 2010. As it is an electronic data collection there is no form as such but a copy of the technical specification for the collection is publicly available on the Department's TeacherNet pages
	http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/ims/datacollections/swfcpilot/

Science: Education

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the likely effects on levels of attainment in science subjects by children at secondary level of the proposal of the Rose Review to replace science as a core subject in primary schools; and if he will make a statement.

Diana Johnson: We have not made a formal assessment of the implications for levels of attainment in science subjects for secondary pupils of the proposed revisions to the primary curriculum.
	In the proposals for the new primary curriculum subjects will no longer be designated as core and foundation. The essential knowledge, skills and understanding of science are all included within the 'scientific and technological understanding' area of learning. The Rose Review Team worked closely with the science community to ensure that this area of learning contains the scientific knowledge, skills and understanding they consider is essential for children aged 5-11 to learn.
	The Government remain committed to encouraging the take up of science subjects at GCSE and beyond. The new pupil guarantee in the White Paper will ensure that every pupil understands that they have, and are encouraged to take up, the opportunity to study at least two science GCSEs and those who would benefit from a more stretching science curriculum have the opportunity to study triple science GCSE (physics, chemistry and biology).

Secondary Education: Gifted Children

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of  (a) primary and  (b) secondary school pupils in (i) each local authority area in the North West and (ii) England are on gifted and talented programmes.

Diana Johnson: The Department does not collect data on which pupils in schools are on gifted and talented programmes. Through the School Census schools are asked to confirm the gifted and talented pupils they have identified. In the summer 2008 Census, 95 per cent. of secondary schools and 78 per cent. of primary schools nationally confirmed they were identifying gifted and talented pupils. The comparable figures for North West were 94 per cent. and 76 per cent. respectively.
	The following table shows the number and proportion of gifted and talented pupils attending primary and secondary schools in the local authorities in the North West and England.
	
		
			   Maintained primary schools( 1)  Maintained secondary schools( 1,5) 
			   Number of gifted and talented pupils( 2)  Percentage of gifted and talented pupils( 4)  Number of gifted and talented pupils( 2)  Percentage of gifted and talented pupils( 4) 
			 England(3) 347,400 8.4 454,770 14.2 
			  
			 North West(3) 48,610 8.3 56,590 12.9 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 865 6.0 1,046 11.0 
			 Blackpool 975 8.5 820 9.8 
			 Bolton 1,424 5.6 2,410 12.7 
			 Bury 279 1.7 1,503 13.2 
			 Cheshire 4,484 8.5 6,827 15.2 
			 Cumbria 2,462 6.3 3,594 10.4 
			 Halton 536 5.3 1,109 14.4 
			 Knowsley 1,086 7.3 670 8.0 
			 Lancashire 11,896 13.1 10,668 15.0 
			 Liverpool 2,586 7.0 3,753 12.9 
			 Manchester 4,037 9.9 3,138 14.0 
			 Oldham 868 3.7 1,616 10.1 
			 Rochdale 1,185 6.0 1,110 8.8 
			 Salford 869 4.6 1,156 10.8 
			 Sefton 1,954 8.7 2,208 11.4 
			 St. Helens 1,811 12.0 1,224 11.0 
			 Stockport 1,556 6.9 1,677 11.4 
			 Tameside 2,014 10.2 2,236 14.9 
			 Trafford 873 4.5 1,985 12.2 
			 Warrington 1,649 9.5 2,194 16.1 
			 Wigan 2,461 9.6 2,550 12.7 
			 Wirral 2,763 10.8 3,096 13.4 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed primary/secondary. (2) Includes pupils with sole and dual (main) registration. (3) National figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. (4) The number of gifted and talented pupils expressed as a percentage of the total number of pupils. (5) Excludes academies.  Source:  School Census summer 2008.

Secondary Education: School Choice

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what percentage of parents in each local authority were offered  (a) their fourth preference,  (b) their fifth preference,  (c) their sixth preference and  (d) none of their preferences for secondary school in the last year for which data are available.

Diana Johnson: holding answer 5 March 2009
	The following table contains the information requested and is derived from data collected on National Offer day in March 2009.
	Where parents did not receive an offer on National Offer day, this is likely to be because the local authority is giving them a further opportunity to express preferences for schools with vacant places or because they did not require an alternative offer if a place was not available at their preferred school e.g. in authorities with mixed two and three-tier schools systems, parents of children at middle schools may apply for a secondary school place, but choose to remain at the middle school if a place is not available at their preferred secondary school.
	
		
			   Number  Percentage 
			  Local authority  Applications received from parents of children resident in the local authority area  Preferences offered by the local authority  Applicants receiving an offer for their fourth preference school  Applicants receiving an offer for their fifth preference school  Applicants receiving an offer for their sixth preference school  Applicants without an offer corresponding to any preference 
			  England 546,744 - 0.9 0.4 0.3 3.8 
			
			  North East 26,463 - 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 
			 Darlington 1,160 3 - - - 5.5 
			 Durham 5,299 3 - - - 1.9 
			 Gateshead 2,057 3 - - - 1.5 
			 Hartlepool 1,094 3 - - - 0.6 
			 Middlesbrough 1,669 3 - - - 2.5 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 2,215 6 0.5 0.3 0.0 2.8 
			 North Tyneside 1,637 3 - - - 3.5 
			 Northumberland 2,992 3 - - - 0.3 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 1,570 3 - - - 1.5 
			 South Tyneside 1,632 3 - - - 4.8 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 2,086 3 - - - 0.2 
			 Sunderland 3,052 3 - - - 1.2 
			
			  North West 78,101 - 0.3 0.1 0.1 2.9 
			 Blackburn With Darwen 2,006 3 - - - 8.2 
			 Blackpool 1,471 3 - - - 0.6 
			 Bolton 3,403 3 - - - 3.8 
			 Bury 2,203 3 - - - 3.8 
			 Cheshire 7,615 3 - - - 2.9 
			 Cumbria 5,310 3 - - - 0.8 
			 Halton 1,514 3 - - - 3.1 
			 Knowsley 1,885 3 - - - 3.4 
			 Lancashire 12,540 3 - - - 1.9 
			 Liverpool 4,679 3 - - - 3.7 
			 Manchester 4,659 6 0.7 0.1 0.1 5.9 
			 Oldham 2,932 6 1.1 0.5 0.1 4.9 
			 Rochdale 2,643 4 0.3 - - 1.3 
			 Salford 2,313 6 0.7 0.1 0.0 3.7 
			 Sefton 2,975 3 - - - 3.3 
			 St. Helens 1,967 3 - - - 0.9 
			 Stockport 3,375 3 - - - 2.7 
			 Tameside 2,590 3 - - - 4.4 
			 Trafford 2,593 6 3.4 1.6 1.2 5.6 
			 Warrington 2,364 6 0.1 0.0 0.0 1.5 
			 Wigan 3,445 3 - - - 0.9 
			 Wirral 3,619 5 0.5 0.0 - 1.2 
			
			  Yorks and the Humber 57,042 - 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.0 
			 Barnsley 2,545 3 - - - 0.3 
			 Bradford 6,524 3 - - - 5.5 
			 Calderdale 2,490 3 - - - 3.7 
			 Doncaster 3,363 3 - - - 0.5 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 3,481 3 - - - 0.5 
			 Kingston upon Hull, City of 2,871 3 - - - 5.1 
			 Kirklees 4,419 3 - - - 5.2 
			 Leeds 7,643 3 - - - 3.4 
			 North East Lincolnshire 1,744 3 - - - 3.3 
			 North Lincolnshire 1,829 3 - - - 0.3 
			 North Yorkshire 6,096 5 0.4 0.1 - 3.6 
			 Rotherham 3,074 3 - - - 0.7 
			 Sheffield 5,713 3 - - - 3.8 
			 Wakefield 3,461 3 - - - 0.7 
			 York 1,789 5 0.2 0.0 - 1.6 
			
			  East Midlands 47,229 - 0.1 0.0 0.0 2.3 
			 Derby 2,671 4 1.2 - - 3.7 
			 Derbyshire 8,555 3 - - - 2.0 
			 Leicester 3,432 3 - - - 3.2 
			 Leicestershire 5,803 3 - - - 1.4 
			 Lincolnshire 7,822 3 - - - 2.7 
			 Northamptonshire 7,607 3 - - - 2.7 
			 Nottingham 2,875 4 1.2 - - 4.1 
			 Nottinghamshire 8,146 3 - - - 1.3 
			 Rutland 318 3 - - - 0.3 
			  West Midlands 60,333 - 1.6 - 0.5 3.4 
			 Birmingham 13,952 6 4.1 2.8 1.8 4.6 
			 Coventry 3,522 6 0.1 0.0 0.0 6.2 
			 Dudley 3,523 6 0.7 0.3 0.1 1.1 
			 Herefordshire 1,864 3 - - - 1.7 
			 Sandwell 3,731 6 2.1 1.2 1.0 4.7 
			 Shropshire 3,045 3 - - - 1.0 
			 Solihull 2,497 6 2.1 1.4 0.0 0.7 
			 Staffordshire 7,850 6 0.2 0.1 0.0 1.2 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 2,681 3 - - - 0.6 
			 Telford and Wrekin 2,052 4 0.4 - - 2.0 
			 Walsall 3,324 5 2.1 0.8 - 5.1 
			 Warwickshire 5,831 6 1.4 0.2 0.1 4.5 
			 Wolverhampton 2,883 5 1.4 0.7 - 3.7 
			 Worcestershire 3,578 3 - - - 5.1 
			
			  East of England 59,135 - 0.5 - 0.0 3.6 
			 Bedfordshire 4,454 4 0.1 - - 0.5 
			 Cambridgeshire 5,985 3 - - - 1.8 
			 Essex 15,764 4 1.5 - - 3.3 
			 Hertfordshire 12,301 3 - - - 7.4 
			 Luton 2,486 3 - - - 3.7 
			 Norfolk 8,621 3 - - - 2.1 
			 Peterborough 2,163 3 - - - 5.4 
			 Southend-on-Sea 1,952 5 2.8 1.0 - 4.5 
			 Suffolk 3,491 3 - - - 2.9 
			 Thurrock 1,918 6 0.9 0.4 0.5 0.0 
			
			  London 78,206 - 3.3 - 1.2 6.8 
			  Inner London   
			 Camden 1,381 6 2.5 0.8 0.4 5.6 
			 City of London 23 6 4.3 0.0 0.0 8.7 
			 Hackney 2,238 6 3.8 1.9 1.0 11.0 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 1,129 6 4.2 1.9 1.2 10.6 
			 Haringey 2,449 6 3.3 2.0 0.8 7.2 
			 Islington 1,556 6 2.4 1.4 0.8 6.3 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 675 6 2.8 0.7 0.1 11.9 
			 Lambeth 2,440 6 4.6 2.8 6.5 4.0 
			 Lewisham 2,746 6 4.8 2.8 1.1 6.2 
			 Newham 3,679 6 1.3 0.5 0.3 4.5 
			 Southwark 2,473 6 5.4 3.1 1.5 8.3 
			 Tower Hamlets 2,653 6 2.0 0.7 0.1 7.5 
			 Wandsworth 1,843 6 4.8 2.5 0.9 6.6 
			 Westminster 1,127 6 2.9 1.0 0.4 8.4 
			  Outer London   
			 Barking and Dagenham 2,445 6 3.1 1.3 0.7 9.4 
			 Barnet 3,540 6 3.6 1.7 1.0 11.2 
			 Bexley 2,759 6 2.0 0.7 0.3 4.8 
			 Brent 2,887 6 3.1 1.8 1.0 5.9 
			 Bromley 3,311 6 3.7 1.8 1.4 5.2 
			 Croydon 3,979 6 4.5 2.4 1.2 10.9 
			 Ealing 3,353 6 2.9 1.4 1.1 7.2 
			 Enfield 3,785 6 4.7 2.9 1.2 6.4 
			 Greenwich 2,664 6 2.4 1.4 0.5 5.5 
			 Harrow 1,691 6 0.9 0.4 0.1 2.7 
			 Havering 2,762 6 2.0 0.6 3.5 0.0 
			 Hillingdon 3,158 6 2.8 1.6 1.0 4.9 
			 Hounslow 2,500 6 2.8 2.1 0.8 5.4 
			 Kingston upon Thames 1,556 6 4.5 2.0 1.4 5.3 
			 Merton 1,726 6 4.5 3.2 2.4 10.2 
			 Redbridge 3,294 6 4.1 2.7 2.6 8.6 
			 Richmond upon Thames 1,510 6 2.0 0.9 0.5 12.7 
			 Sutton 2,193 6 4.5 2.2 1.0 6.7 
			 Waltham Forest 2,681 6 1.6 0.9 0.6 3.6 
			
			  South East 88,579 - 0.8 - 0.1 4.5 
			 Bracknell Forest 1,284 3 - - - 11.6 
			 Brighton and Hove 2,304 3 - - - 3.2 
			 Buckinghamshire 5,954 6 4.5 1.4 0.8 7.4 
			 East Sussex 5,306 3 - - - 5.6 
			 Hampshire 13,973 3 - - - 1.8 
			 Isle of Wight 1,380 3 - - - 0.0 
			 Kent 16,277 4 1.5 - - 4.7 
			 Medway 3,004 6 0.5 0.2 0.1 1.7 
			 Milton Keynes 2,853 3 - - - 2.5 
			 Oxfordshire 6,180 3 - - - 3.1 
			 Portsmouth 1,859 3 - - - 2.2 
			 Reading 1,511 3 - - - 5.2 
			 Slough 1,599 6 11.8 5.3 2.4 8.0 
			 Southampton 2,124 3 - - - 3.4 
			 Surrey 11,121 3 - - - 7.5 
			 West Berkshire 1,662 3 - - - 1.8 
			 West Sussex 7,257 6 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.5 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 1,119 3 - - - 8.4 
			 Wokingham 1,812 3 - - - 4.1 
			
			  South West 51,656 - 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.5 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 1,690 3 - - - 4.3 
			 Bournemouth 1,461 3 - - - 4.1 
			 Bristol, City of 3,874 3 - - - 5.0 
			 Cornwall 5,595 3 - - - 0.6 
			 Devon 7,547 3 - - - 2.3 
			 Dorset 2,826 3 - - - 5.7 
			 Gloucestershire 6,536 4 0.0 - - 5.3 
			 North Somerset 2,158 3 - - - 4.3 
			 Plymouth 2,677 3 - - - 2.2 
			 Poole 1,189 3 - - - 12.4 
			 Somerset 4,424 3 - - - 3.5 
			 South Gloucestershire 3,081 3 - - - 2.1 
			 Swindon 2,369 3 - - - 2.2 
			 Torbay 1,388 3 - - - 2.6 
			 Wiltshire 4,841 3 - - - 2.9

Social Workers: Essex

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many full-time children's social workers there were in  (a) Essex and  (b) Castle Point in (i) 1997 and (ii) the latest period for which figures are available.

Dawn Primarolo: Information on all staff, including children's social workers, directly employed by social services departments is collected through the Personal Social Services Staff of Social Services Departments return (SSDS001) which was introduced in 1993 by the Department of Health. In 2004-05 responsibility for the collection of this data passed to the NHS Information Centre for Health and Social Care. These data are published on an annual basis with breakdown by local authority available in the supporting annexes.
	Reports published from 2006 onwards are available on the NHS Information Centre website here:
	http://www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/social-care/childrens-social-care
	Reports published between 1996 and 2005 are available on the Department of Health website here:
	http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Statistics/StatisticalWorkAreas/Statisticalworkforce/DH_4000233

Sure Start Programme: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many  (a) children and  (b) families in York have received support from his Department's Sure Start programme since the programme's inception.

Dawn Primarolo: The city of York currently has eight Sure Start children's centres offering access to services to over 6,000 children under five and their families. One further centre is planned by 2010 in order to provide universal coverage of children's centre services for children under five and their families in the local authority area. The Department does not hold information centrally on how many families have received support from the Sure Start programme in York since the programme's inception, but we would expect the local authority, as the body responsible for delivering children's centres, to hold data on usage of centres.

Teachers and Teaching Assistants: North East

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many teachers were employed in schools in  (a) the North East,  (b) the Tees Valley and  (c) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many classroom assistants were employed in schools in  (a) the North East,  (b) Tees Valley and  (c) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in each year since 1997.

Vernon Coaker: The following table shows the number of full-time equivalent teachers and teaching assistants in local authority maintained schools in the North East Government office region, Tees Valley sub region and Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland parliamentary constituency in January 1997 to January 2008.
	
		
			  Full-time equivalent teachers and teaching assistants in local authority maintained schools( 1) . Years: January 1997 to 2008. Coverage: North East Government office region, Tees Valley sub region and Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland parliamentary constituency 
			   Teachers( 2)  Teaching assistants( 3) 
			   North East( 4)  Tees Valley( 4, 5)  Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland( 6)  North East( 6)  Tees Valley( 5, 6)  Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland( 6) 
			 1997 22,200 5,170 760 2,870 670 100 
			 1998 21,950 5,910 740 2,990 820 110 
			 1999 22,020 5,860 730 3,130 830 100 
			 2000 22,010 5,940 730 3,450 950 100 
			 2001 22,540 5,900 730 4,280 1,180 130 
			 2002 22,910 6,170 760 4,010 1,030 140 
			 2003 22,670 6,080 780 5,060 1,390 200 
			 2004 22,680 6,000 690 5,630 1,500 220 
			 2005 22,710 5,990 670 6,430 1,730 200 
			 2006 22,770 5,970 670 6,930 1,940 250 
			 2007 22,720 5,940 670 7,450 2,030 260 
			 2008 22,640 5,860 650 8,030 2,410 300 
			 (1) Excludes academies. (2) Qualified and unqualified teachers. (3) Teaching assistants include teaching assistants, higher level teaching assistants, special needs support staff and minority ethnic pupil support staff. (4) Source: Annual survey of teachers in service and teacher vacancies, 618g. (5) Tees Valley Sub Region is made up from local authorities Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, Stockton and Darlington. Darlington became a new authority in 1998 and is therefore not included in the 1997 figures. (6) Source: School Census.  Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.

Teachers: Degrees

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of National Challenge schools have staff with a degree in  (a) English,  (b) mathematics,  (c) physics,  (d) chemistry and  (e) biology.

Vernon Coaker: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Teachers: Pay

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average full-time equivalent gross pay of teachers has been in schools in York in  (a) cash and  (b) real terms in each year since 1997.

Vernon Coaker: Information on the average salary of teacher is available only for full-time regular qualified teachers in service in local authority maintained schools. The following table provides this information for York local authority in both cash and real terms in each year, March 1997 to 2007, the latest year available.
	
		
			  Average salary of full-time regular qualified teachers in local authority maintained schools, York local authority, March 1997 to 2007 
			  Gross average salary (£)( 1) 
			   Actual  Real terms( 2) 
			 1997 22,500 28,500 
			 1998 23,200 28,600 
			 1999 24,100 29,100 
			 2000 24,900 29,500 
			 2001 26,900 31,500 
			 2002 27,800 31,800 
			 2003 29,700 32,900 
			 2004 30,600 33,000 
			 2005 32,100 33,700 
			 2006(3) 33,100 34,100 
			 2007(3) 34,300 34,300 
			 (1) Gross salary of teachers of all grades including allowances.  (2) Adjusted using HM Treasury GDP deflator.  (3) Provisional.   Note:  Figures are rounded to the nearest £100.  Source: Database of Teacher records.

Teachers: South East

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many teachers were employed in schools in  (a) Hemel Hempstead constituency,  (b) Dacorum,  (c) Hertfordshire and  (d) the South East in each year since 1997.

Vernon Coaker: The following table shows the number of full-time equivalent number of teachers in local authority maintained schools in Hemel Hempstead parliamentary constituency, Dacorum district, Hertfordshire local authority and the South East government office region, in January 1997 to January 2008.
	Information for all the years requested for Dacorum district authority is available only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Full-time equivalent teachers( 1)  in local authority maintained schools( 2) . Years: January 1997 to 2008. Coverage: Hemel Hempstead parliamentary constituency, Dacorum district, Hertfordshire local authority and South East Government office region 
			   Hemel Hempstead( 3)  Dacorum( 3)  Hertfordshire( 4)  South East( 4) 
			 1997 830 1,130 9,040 59,830 
			 1998 850 n/a 8,970 59,820 
			 1999 860 n/a 9,070 60,260 
			 2000 850 n/a 9,030 61,480 
			 2001 880 n/a 9,170 61,830 
			 2002 890 1,220 9,550 63,510 
			 2003 910 n/a 9,610 64,570 
			 2004 900 n/a 9,820 65,490 
			 2005 930 n/a 9,810 66,280 
			 2006 940 n/a 10,180 67,030 
			 2007 930 n/a 10,480 67,560 
			 2008 920 1,280 10,350 67,590 
			 n/a = Not available. (1) Qualified and unqualified teachers. (2) Excludes academies. (3) Source: School Census. (4) Source: Annual survey of teachers in service and teacher vacancies, 618g. (5) Hemel Hempstead, Dacorum and Hertfordshire do not fall within the South East Government office region.  Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.

Teachers: Yorkshire and The Humber

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many full-time equivalent  (a) teachers,  (b) teaching assistants and  (c) support staff there were in local education authority schools in (i) Yorkshire and the Humber and (ii) City of York in (A) 1997 and (B) the latest period for which figures are available.

Vernon Coaker: The number of full-time equivalent teachers, teaching assistants and support staff in each year since 1997 have been published in the Statistical First Release, School Workforce in England (including Local Authority level Figures), January 2008 (Revised). They are located in tables 19, 26 and 25 respectively in the following location:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000813/index.shtml

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

62 South Eaton Place

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government at what sale price his Department's property at 62 South Eaton Place was marketed; for how long it was marketed; and whether the property has now been sold.

Phil Woolas: I have been asked to reply.
	62 South Eaton Place was placed on the market in September 2008 at an indicated guide price of £4 million. The property remains for sale and viewings are continuing.

Aerials: Planning Permission

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance he issues to planning authorities on their consideration of potential health effects arising from the operation of proposed mobile telephone masts; what account he takes of the guidelines for protection from such radiation established by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection in establishing such guidance; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Austin: Planning policy guidance note 8: Telecommunications (PPG8) states that health considerations can be a material consideration in determining applications for planning permission and prior approval. Whether such matters are material in a particular case is ultimately a matter for the courts. It is for the decision maker to determine what weight to attach to such considerations in any particular case.
	PPG8 goes on to say that if a proposed mobile phone mast base station meets the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines for public health it should not be necessary for a local planning authority to consider further the health aspects and concerns about them.

Airports: Planning Permission

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance his Department issues on the permitted development rights which apply in respect of airports.

Ian Austin: No specific guidance has been issued concerning the permitted development rights at airports. However, general guidance on publicity for statutory undertakers, including airport operators, has been issued in DOE circulars 15/92 and 9/95. This makes it clear that although statutory undertakers are not required to submit a planning application when carrying out permitted development, they should inform the local planning authority and the public if they consider that their proposal is likely to have a significant effect on amenity and environment before the proposals are finalised.

Allotments

Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what applications each Government Office has  (a) received,  (b) approved and  (c) not approved from each local authority in its region for disposal of statutory allotments between 1 April 2007 and 31 March 2009; what the proposed alternative use of the allotments was in each case; and what the reason for (i) approval and (ii) refusal was in each case.

Ian Austin: The Secretary of State's consent will only be given if he is satisfied that:
	the allotment in question is not necessary and is surplus to requirement;
	adequate provision will be made for displaced plot holders, or that such provision is not necessary or is impracticable;
	the number of people on the waiting list has been effectively taken into account;
	the authority has actively promoted and publicised the availability of allotment sites and has consulted the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners: and
	the implications of disposal for other relevant policies, in particular development plan policies, have been taken into account.
	During the period 1 April 2007 and 31 March 2009 98 applications for consent to dispose of statutory allotment have been determined. This includes 56 applications which were approved, two applications which were refused, five applications which were withdrawn and for 35 applications consent was not required or the applications were taken no further. In addition to these 98 determined applications there remained four still under consideration.
	Those applications that were approved or refused were judged by the Government offices, on behalf of the Secretary of State, as either satisfying or not satisfying the criteria on the basis of which the Secretary of State is to grant consent for the disposal of statutory allotment sites.
	Since April 2008 Government office west midlands have been responsible for determining all statutory allotment consent to dispose applications, on behalf of Secretary of State.

Coastal Areas: Economic Situation

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will make an assessment of the economic performance of seaside resorts in England.

Rosie Winterton: England's Seaside Towns-A Benchmarking Study, published by the Department in November 2008 presents findings on the socio-economic performance of England's 37 principal seaside resorts (over 10,000 population) and compares the figures with regional and national averages. The report is available on line at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/citiesandregions/englishseasidetowns
	The Department is about to commission a benchmarking study of smaller seaside towns (below 10,000 population) in England. This will complement the earlier benchmarking study and provide a range of data on socio-economic performance. It is being jointly funded with the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Commission for Rural Communities. The final report will be published in the autumn.

Councillors

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance he provides to local authorities on declarations by councillors who are freemasons; and whether that guidance has been amended since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The Standards Board for England frequently issues guidance to local authorities about members' conduct. The last guidance that included freemasonry was issued in 2007. Prior to this in 2004 the Standards Board produced guidance about what councillors who are freemasons have to register and declare.

Eco-Towns: Public Consultation

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many responses were received to his Department's consultation on the planning policy statement on eco-towns; and what the timetable is for publication of the Government response to the consultation.

John Healey: The consultation on the eco-towns programme, including the draft Planning Policy Statement closed on 30 April 2009. I intend to publish a Government response together with a consultation summary report of responses received, information requested, before the summer recess.

Home Information Packs

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to his answer on 24 June 2009,  Official Report, column 958W, on home information packs, if he will assess performance of local authority weights and measures authorities in enforcing home information pack duties under the Housing Act 2004.

John Healey: It is for individual trading standards offices to decide on how to exercise their enforcement duties, including those that apply to home information packs, in the light of local priorities.

Housing: Armed Forces

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 2 July 2009,  Official Report, column 369W, on housing: armed forces, for what reasons data on applications for assistance under the New Build HomeBuy and intermediate rent schemes are not held centrally.

John Healey: The Homes and Communities Agency does not collect data on the number of applications for each of the homebuy products. Households make applications for the scheme through their local homebuy agent. When applying for the homebuy scheme, applicants are not required to choose between the products at the application stage and often select a number of options. This information therefore does not give a reliable indication of the number of applications for a particular product.

Housing: Low Incomes

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many transactions have been completed under the HomeBuy Direct scheme to date;
	(2)  how many completed transactions there have been under the  (a) Social HomeBuy and  (b) HomeBuy Direct scheme.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend, the Member for Derby South (Margaret Beckett) to the hon. Member for Buckingham (John Bercow) on 7 May 2009,  Official Repor t , columns 390-92W.
	As at the end of June, 194 properties had been sold through HomeBuy Direct.

Housing: Low Incomes

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how much funding has been  (a) allocated to and  (b) spent in the East of England under the MyChoice HomeBuy scheme in 2009-10;
	(2)  how much funding was allocated to the East of England under the MyChoice HomeBuy scheme in  (a) 2006-07,  (b) 2007-08 and  (c) 2008-09.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Member for Derby South (Margaret Beckett) gave to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps) on 21 May 2009,  Official Report, columns 1540-42W, regarding funding for the MyChoice HomeBuy scheme in 2008-09.
	In the first quarter of 2009-10 the Homes and Communities Agency spent approximately £7 million on the MyChoice HomeBuy scheme in the East of England.
	The MyChoice HomeBuy scheme was launched in April 2008 and therefore no data are available for the 2006-07 or 2007-08 financial years.

Housing: Low Incomes

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent estimate he has made of the number of apprenticeship places which have been created or safeguarded by social house-building projects to date.

Ian Austin: Communities and Local Government's biggest lever in terms of supporting apprenticeships in the home building sector is to maintain investment in and delivery of programmes for regeneration, new social housing and decent homes.
	Since December 2008, these programmes have been delivered by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). The HCA supports the Prime Minister's commitment to increase the number of apprenticeships by 35,000 by 2010. However, the HCA is now undertaking work to identify the baseline for what is currently being achieved, to set realistic targets for future funding and to monitor and measure improvement over time.

Industrial Estates: Planning Permission

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many planning applications for the development of business sites in  (a) Vale of York constituency,  (b) North Yorkshire and  (c) England were (i) made and (ii) approved in each year since 1997.

Ian Austin: This information is not available for constituency areas. Statistics are, however, available for the county of North Yorkshire. The following table shows the numbers of applications decided and granted by local planning authorities in North Yorkshire and in England
	The figures shown are the totals of applications for commercial, retail and industrial developments.
	Further information for individual local planning authorities is available Table 1.6 in the Annual Development Control Statistics publication at the following web link:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/developmentcontrol200708
	
		
			  Planning decisions on business sites in North Yorkshire and England 
			  Business sites( 1) 
			   North Yorkshire  England 
			   Decisions  Granted  Decisions  Granted 
			 1997-98 522 467 34,700 31,300 
			 1998-99 522 454 33,400 30,100 
			 1999-2000 496 447 30,300 27,600 
			 2000-01 455 411 28,700 26,000 
			 2001-02 478 430 28,500 25,600 
			 2002-03 461 423 28,000 24,900 
			 2003-04 382 330 26,600 23,400 
			 2004-05 329 280 26,100 22,600 
			 2005-06 322 271 25,400 21,900 
			 2006-07 371 310 24,600 21,000 
			 2007-08 341 284 25,700 21,900 
			 2008-09(2) 344 293 21,500 18,500 
			 (1) Includes offices, research and development, light industry, general industry, storage, warehousing, retail distribution and servicing. (2) Provisional.  Source: Communities and Local Government General Development Control Returns, PS2/PSF

Local Government: Apprentices

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent estimate he has made of the number of  (a) apprenticeships and  (b) graduate trainee places offered by local authorities in (i) 2005-06, (ii) 2006-07, (iii) 2007-08, (iv) 2008-09 and (v) 2009-10.

Rosie Winterton: We do not hold centrally information about the number of apprenticeships or graduate trainees in local government.

Local Government: Pensions

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what obligations local authorities  (a) in and  (b) outside London have in relation to providing scheme participants with information on deficits and surpluses in the Local Government Pension Scheme fund administered by their local authority.

Rosie Winterton: Under Regulation 34(l)(d) of The Local Government Pension Scheme (Administration) Regulations 2008, Scheme administering authorities in England and Wales are required to place in their Pension Fund Annual Report a statement of the level of funding based on the most recent actuarial valuation of their funds.
	The first report for the period 2008-09 must be published by 1 December 2009.

Mortgages: Government Assistance

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will place in the Library a copy of the Mortgage Rescue Scheme monitoring statistics at local authority level for May 2009.

John Healey: The mortgage rescue scheme figures for May 2009 as reported by local authorities have been provided in a table placed in the Library of the House.

Non-Domestic Rates

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 11 June 2009,  Official Report, columns 996-97W, on non-domestic rates, if he will place in the Library a copy of each of the nine written representations in favour of a five-year transitional business rates relief scheme.

Rosie Winterton: The responses have been placed in the Library.

Non-Domestic Rates

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Robert Neill) of 18 June 2009,  Official Report, column 471W, on non-domestic rates, whether his Department takes account of rates of  (a) council tax and  (b) non-domestic rate collection in determining levels of future funding for (i) local authorities, (ii) police authorities and (iii) fire authorities.

Rosie Winterton: No collection rates, whether of business rates or council tax, are assumed for the purposes of allocating formula grant.

Non-Domestic Rates: Ports

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 1 July 2009,  Official Report, column 318W, on non-domestic rates: ports, how each port operator has been notified of the new business rate assessment in 2005; how many of the assessments for the 1,800 separate heriditaments were re-assessed before 2009; and for what reasons they were re-assessed.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Ordnance Survey

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will place in the Library a copy of the study produced by Ordnance Survey on the cost of a free data model, with commercially confidential elements redacted as necessary.

Ian Austin: A redacted copy of International Comparison of Geographical Information Trading Models: A report for the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on the outcomes of different trading models for Geographical Information is available on the Ordnance Survey website at:
	http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/aboutus/foi/icgitm.html
	This redacted version is an interim release pending permission from overseas' contributors to release information which they contributed.

Planning and Energy Act 2008

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many local authorities have used their powers under the Planning and Energy Act 2008 to date.

Ian Austin: In developing policies in local plans which set requirements for energy use and energy efficiency, local authorities will have regard to a number of factors including the legislative framework and the expectations placed on them by the planning policy statement on climate change. Local authorities have not been asked to explain the extent to which, in developing such policies, they have relied on the specific powers provided by the Planning and Energy Act 2008.

Planning Permission

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether local authorities are able to require the creation of apprenticeship or trainee places as a condition of  (a) granting planning permission for new developments and  (b) allocating funding to new developments.

Ian Austin: It will be for local authorities to decide whether or not it is appropriate to make any funding they provide conditional. Following the Prime Minister's announcement in January to increase the number of apprenticeships by 35,000 by 2010, the Local Government Association committed to double the number of apprentices employed, or managed via contract, by local government from 7,500 to 15,000.

Planning Permission: Fees and Charges

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what fees are payable by businesses seeking to renew a planning application in respect of which planning permission has already been given; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Austin: Under current legislation there is not a separate fee to renew a planning permission, the fee payable would be the same as a new planning application.
	The Minister for Housing announced on 18 June 2009 the publication of a consultation document entitled 'Greater Flexibility for Planning Permissions' which includes proposals in respect of extensions to the time limits for existing planning permissions.
	The document is available at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/flexibilitypermissions

Regional Planning and Development

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which decisions taken by him in relation to regional spatial strategies in the last 12 months have been the subject of applications for judicial review.

Ian Austin: Since May 2008, the Secretary of State has published six regional spatial strategies. High Court challenges have been lodged against the regional spatial strategies for the East of England and the South East of England.

Repossession Orders: Hampshire

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many people in each age group have had their home repossessed in  (a) Test Valley borough and  (b) Southampton in the last 12 months;
	(2)  how many domestic dwellings in  (a) Test Valley borough and  (b) Southampton were repossessed in each of the last 12 months.

Ian Austin: There are two independent sources of data on actual numbers of mortgage possessions: the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) and the Financial Services Authority (FSA). However, neither source has data by age of borrower or data at the local level.
	The Council of Mortgage Lenders latest press release on repossessions is on their website at:
	http://www.cml.org.uk/cml/media/press/2262
	The Financial Services Authority data is available on their website at:
	http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pages/Doing/Regulated/Returns/IRR/statistics/

Social Rented Housing: Hemel Hempstead

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many properties he expects to be  (a) completed and  (b) purchased for social rent in Hemel Hempstead in each of the next five years.

Ian Austin: The information requested is as follows:
	 (a) Within Dacorum borough new social rented housing completions are currently projected as follows:
	
		
			   Number of units 
			 2008-09 (outturn) 93 
			 2009-10 (planned) 50 
			 2010-11 (proposed) 126 
			  Source:  Dacorum Borough Council, Housing Supply Statistical Appendix Returns 2009. Information does not extend beyond 2010-11.) 
		
	
	 (b) There were seven sales/transfers made through Right to Buy in Dacorum borough in 2008-09. Information on projected sales/transfers through Right to Buy and Right to Acquire is not available as it will depend on applications. Dacorum borough council does not currently purchase empty properties to offer for social rent.
	 Source:
	Dacorum borough council, P1B Statistical Returns 2009.

Temporary Accommodation

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many households were in temporary accommodation in the last quarter for which figures are available.

Ian Austin: This information is published on a quarterly basis and can be found in the Library and also at the following link:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/homelessnessq12009

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan: Prisoners

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had with the Afghan Government on the custodial sentence imposed on journalist Sayed Pervez Kambaksh;
	(2)  whether his Department has requested that Afghan President Hamid Karzai grant a presidential pardon to journalist Sayed Pervez Kambaksh.

Ivan Lewis: We share the hon. Member's concern about the continuing imprisonment of journalism student Sayed Pervez Kambakhsh. We urge the Afghan state to honour the Afghan Constitution and comply with the international human rights standards, to which it is a party, including the right to a fair trial and freedom of expression.
	We opposed the death sentence imposed upon Mr. Kambakhsh at his initial trial in January 2008 after his imprisonment in October 2007. While it is positive that he no longer faces the death penalty, we are disappointed by the 20 year prison sentence he received on the 21 October 2008, a decision sadly upheld by the Afghan Supreme Court in early February. We have serious concerns about the fairness of his trials.
	In April 2009, as part of the EU, we asked President Karzai to carefully consider the legitimacy of Mr. Kambakhsh's trial. We continue to follow Mr. Kambakhsh's case closely and, in conjunction with our international partners, will continue to raise it with the relevant Afghan authorities, wherever appropriate.

Australia: Diplomatic Service

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the appointment of the next High Commissioner to Australia will be made.

Chris Bryant: My noble Friend Baroness Amos will take up her post in October 2009.

Australia: Diplomatic Service

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many non-career diplomats have been appointed to the post of High Commissioner to Australia since 1997.

Chris Bryant: Since 1997 three non-career diplomats have held the post of high commissioner to Australia.

Australia: Diplomatic Service

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the term of office of the present High Commissioner to Australia ends.

Chris Bryant: The current high commissioner to Australia, the right hon. Mrs. Helen Liddell, will leave post at the end of her appointment in September 2009.
	My noble Friend Baroness Amos will take up her post in October 2009.

BBC External Services

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what involvement his Department has in the determination by the BBC World Service of the languages in which it broadcasts.

Chris Bryant: BBC World Service (BBCWS) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) discuss where BBCWS can best operate and which language services are best served to do this.
	The BBC Charter and Agreement, section 64 (3) (a) states as follows:
	The World Service must be provided:
	 (a) to such users outside the UK, and in such languages, as are approved by the Foreign Secretary; and
	 (b) in accordance with any objectives, priorities and targets agreed with him.
	This is also referred to in section 10 of the Broadcasting Agreement between the BBC and the FCO for the provision of the BBCWS.
	The BBC and FCO discuss the opening or closure of a language service prior to a final decision being taken.

BBC External Services: Meetings

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions he has met the Director of the BBC World Service in the last 12 months.

Chris Bryant: There have been no meetings between my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and the director of the BBC World Service.
	There are however, regular meetings between the Minister responsible for the BBC World Service and its director. Most recently, Peter Horrocks met my right hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint), the then Minister for Europe on 7 May 2009.

Colombia

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met representatives of Justice for Colombia.

Chris Bryant: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Central (Tony Lloyd), Vice-Chair of Justice for Colombia (JFC), and representatives of the Unite and Amicus trade unions in July 2008 to discuss human rights in Colombia.
	My ministerial colleagues and I regularly meet representatives of non-governmental organisations with an interest in Colombia, including JFC. Most recently, I met Colombian trade unionist Luis Alberto Vanegas and representatives of JFC on 2 July 2009.

Departmental Consultants

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to volume two of his Department's Annual Report and Resource Accounts 2008-09, page 39, for what reasons his Department's estimated expenditure on consultants has increased to £60 million in 2008-09.

Chris Bryant: The figures quoted in the annual report and resource accounts for 2008-09 included managed service provision.
	The Office of Government Commerce defines managed services as being
	the provision to management of objective advice and assistance relating to strategy, structure, management or operations of an organisation in pursuit of its purposes and objectives. Such assistance will be provided outside the 'business as usual' environment when in-house skills are not available and will be of no essential consequence and time-limited. Services may include the identification of options with recommendations and/or assistance with (but not delivery of) the implementation of solutions.
	The managed services included Hewlett-Packard Joint Service Delivery Team staff, Cap-Gemini staff working on Prism (the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) management tool), and Fujitsu staff working on FCONet (the FCO intranet).
	Consequently, the figures for actual expenditure in 2007-08 and estimated expenditure in 2008-09 are not comparable. We do not believe the actual cost on consultancy has increased.

Departmental Contracts

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 1 July 2009,  Official Report, column 284W, on departmental contracts, what the monetary value is of each contract entered into by his Department during financial year 2008-09 with  (a) Alchemist Partnership Limited,  (b) Avail Consulting,  (c) Building Services Group Ltd.,  (d) Cambridge Econometrics,  (e) Concerto Consulting,  (f) Coombs Consulting Ltd.,  (g) Corporate Value Associates,  (h) Haig Consulting Ltd.,  (i) Hanover Aviation Consulting Ltd.,  (j) Hay Group Management Limited,  (k) Intuity Consulting Ltd.,  (l) Jedi Systems Consulting Ltd.,  (m) KPMG LLP,  (n) Methods Consulting,  (o) Minimal Risk Consultancy Ltd.,  (p) Mott MacDonald,  (q) Ove Arup,  (r) Oxford Policy Management Ltd.,  (s) PA Consulting Group,  (t) Projected Consulting Ltd.,  (u) Purcon Ltd.,  (v) Ridge and Partners,  (w) RPS Health Safety,  (x) TPS Consult,  (y) Tribal Consulting,  (z) UCT Ltd. and  (aa) Venn Group Ltd.

Chris Bryant: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) only has a static database of all of its contracts in the UK and overseas which was compiled in the latter part of 2008. Work is currently being undertaken to convert this to a real time database. To gather all of the contract information for 2008-09 would involve disproportionate cost so the attached response reflects records kept by the two contracts teams in the FCO and FCO Services for 2008-09 which will cover a high proportion of the contracts awarded by the FCO in the UK during the period.
	
		
			Monetary Value (£)  Comment 
			 Alchemist Partnership Limited Tristan da Cunha Sustainable Development Plan 53,200 - 
			 Avail Consulting Vetting Unit Programme 148,500.00 - 
			 Building Services Group Ltd Strategy and Business Consultancy Services share of 4,000,000 framework Framework awarded to four suppliers, total monetary value of £4m 
			  Dubai Gatehouse - engineering advice 41,425 Framework Consultant 
			 Cambridge Econometrics Consultancy Services: Impact of oil prices on global economic recovery 33,845 - 
			 Concerto Consulting Senior Facilities Management Advisor 174,000 - 
			 Coombs Consulting Ltd Management Services Internal Consultancy Support to FCOS ESG 70,000.00 - 
			 Corporate Value Associates Strategy and Business Consultancy Services See Avail above Framework awarded to four suppliers, total monetary value of £4m 
			 Haig Consulting Ltd Estates Related Project Management Services 511,000.00 - 
			 Hanover Aviation Consulting Ltd Framework Agreement for Air Brokerage Agent  DFID owned Framework. No FCO contract placed by FCO Contracts Team to date 
			 Hay Group Management Ltd Benchmarking for FCO Pay Grades in Asia-Pacific Region 17,000 - 
			 Intuity Consulting Ltd Consultancy Services for Programme and Project Mgt Services for PRISM Declassification 252,000 Annual Commitment 
			 Jedi Systems Consulting Ltd HMRC Support Contract 30,624.00 - 
			 KMG LLP Strategy and Business Consultancy Services See Avail above Framework awarded to four suppliers, total monetary value of £4m 
			 Methods Consulting Provision of Consultancy Services to FM Project 143,000 - 
			 Minimal Risk Consultancy Ltd Provision of Intelligence Staff in Afghanistan 387,935 - 
			 Mott MacDonald Basra: Hollyoaks - Additional Protection 142,082 - 
			 Ove Arup Kuala Lumpur - COW services 18,913 Framework Consultant 
			 Oxford Policy Management Ltd Provision of Economic Advice to Governments of up to five British OTs 51,000 - 
			 PA Consulting Group Strategy and Business Consultancy Services See Avail above Framework awarded to four suppliers, total monetary value of £4m 
			  Provision of Consultancy Services for Knowledge and Information Management Strategy 35,000.00 - 
			 Projected Consulting Ltd Projected Consulting Ltd 305,760.00 Configuration, Implementation and User Training for FCO Services Prism Software focusing on the Oracle Project Suites and modules and related applications 
			 Purcon Ltd PCMD Category Manager 47,838.00 - 
			 Ridge and Partners Podgorica New Embassy and Residence 90,000 Spend figure 
			 RPS Health Safety Madrid Asbestos Survey 7,000 Contract sum 
			 TPS Consult Khartoum Asbestos Survey 9,750 Contract sum 
			  Tbilisi - BREEAM assessment 11,462 Framework Consultant 
			  Staff Replacements 103,885 Framework Consultant 
			  Staff Replacements 131,684 Framework Consultant 
			  Mexico City - Facility review 6,095 Framework Consultant 
			  Stockholm -PerimeterWall 12,200 Framework Consultant 
			  Buenos Aries - Perimeter Wall 30,000 Framework Consultant 
			  Chongqing - Post Quake Survey 14,500 Framework Consultant 
			  Minsk - Structural Review 6,600 Framework Consultant 
			  Tripoli-Blast Survey 12,000 Framework Consultant 
			  Kuala Lumpur - Blast Survey 25,000 Framework Consultant 
			  Rangoon - Feasibility study 7,800 Framework Consultant 
			  Tripoli - M and E survey 10,997 Framework Consultant 
			  Stockholm - blast glazing survey 4,240 Framework Consultant 
			  Brussels - Structural Survey 6,500 Framework Consultant 
			  Damascus - Delapidation Report 6,000 Framework Consultant 
			  Dubai - Gatehouse structural advise 19,200 Framework Consultant 
			  Pristina - Due diligence report 45,995 Framework Consultant 
			  Minsk - Structural Review 6,000 Framework Consultant 
			  Mexico city - Blast advice 16,532 Framework Consultant 
			  San Jose - Earthquake Report 17,800 Framework Consultant 
			  Khartoum - Structural Advice 5,713 Framework Consultant 
			  Boston - BREEAM Assessment 12,230 Framework Consultant 
			  Basra - Ad-hoc advice 1,000 Framework Consultant 
			  Tripoli - Survey report 28,540 Framework Consultant 
			 Tribal Consulting Provision of Strategic Partner to assist in Producing IT Training Strategy 99,000 - 
			 UCT Ltd Pyramid Software Development and Support IS Services and Management Information Systems 400,000.00 - 
			 Venn Group Ltd Provision of Security Guarding Procurement Lead 125,000 -

Departmental Contracts

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 1 July 2009,  Official Report, column 284W, on departmental contracts, what the monetary value is of each contract entered into by his Department during financial year 2008-09 with  (a) Alfaplan Gradenje,  (b) Asbestos Removals Logistics Ltd.,  (c) ATG Access Ltd.,  (d) Bymaro,  (e) Controlled Building Services Ltd.,  (f) Gilbert Ash Fit-Out,  (g) Gleeds (QS),  (h) Gleeds Building Surveying,  (i) GMW Architects,  (j) HOK International,  (k) Jordan + Bateman,  (l) Knight Frank,  (m) Mayfair Building Services,  (n) Orostream International Contracts Ltd.,  (o) Ove Arup,  (p) Ridge and Partners,  (q) Toffco SDN BHD,  (r) Windell Ltd. and  (s) Zeal Interiors.

Chris Bryant: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) only has a static database of all of its contracts in the UK and overseas which was compiled in the latter part of 2008. Work is currently being undertaken to convert this to a real time database. To gather all of the contract information for 2008-09 would involve disproportionate cost so the following response reflects records kept by the two contracts teams in the FCO and FCO Services for 2008-09 which will cover a high proportion of the contracts awarded by the FCO in the UK during the period.
	
		
			Monetary value (£)  Comment 
			 Alfaplan Gradenje Dubrovnik Consulate Fit-Out works 53,202.37 Contract sum 
			 Asbestos Removals Logistics Ltd Singapore Asbestos Removal 76,614.00 Contract sum 
			 ATG Access Ltd Athens Perimeter Security Works 435,515 Contract sum 
			 Bymaro Rabat-Fire and Flood reinstatement 1,205,102 - 
			 Controlled Building Services Ltd Addis Ababa Office Extension 370,479.00 Contract sum 
			 Gilbert Ash Fit-Out Ibiza re-model and Fit-Out (Stage 1) 25,928 Contract sum 
			  Prague Refurbishment of Offices 498,894 Contract sum 
			  Georgetown Office Modifications 447,568 - 
			 Gleeds (QS) (See various contracts for Gleeds listed under Gleeds Building Surveying following) - - 
			 Gleeds Building Surveying Tehran-Tender analysis 4,707 Framework Consultants 
			  Dubai-Gatehouse OS Commission 14,547 Framework Consultants 
			  Basra-Office Fit-Out 63,000 Framework Consultants 
			  New Delhi-Strategic Review of Compound 210,502 Framework Consultants 
			 GMW Architects Tripoli-New Offices 40,250 Framework Consultants 
			  Jeddah-architectural services 14,445 Framework Consultants 
			  Tripoli-Architectural services 7,759 Framework Consultants 
			 HOK International Mexico City-Multidisciplinary services 73,376 Framework Consultants 
			  Boston-Architectural Duties 168,703 Framework Consultants 
			 Jordan + Bateman Portimao Consular Fit-Out 254,439.67 Consultant to Sherman Projectos e Servicos 
			  Architectural Design Services 34,560.00 Framework Consultants 
			  Baku-New Residence 557,506.00 Framework Consultants 
			  Dubai-Gatehouse architectural Commission 35,094.00 Framework Consultants 
			 Knight Frank Americas Property Evaluation 250,000 Contract sum 
			 Mayfair Building Services Caracas Safety and Rewire Works for Residential Properties 52,399.17 Contract sum 
			 Orostream International Contracts Ltd Kabul Internal Fit-out works 637,152.39 Contract sum 
			  Bogota 8(th) Floor Fit-Out 226,336.00 Contract sum 
			  Khartoum Replacement of Chillers 135,364.00 Contract sum 
			  Minsk Relocation of Classified Area 287,050.00 Contract sum 
			  Port Stanley Office Extension and Fire Precaution Works 188,010.35 Contract sum 
			  Podgorica New Embassy and Residence 778,000.00 Spend figure 
			 Ove Arup Kuala Lumpur COW services 18,913 Framework Consultant 
			  New Delhi-Strategic Review of Compound 13,500 Framework Consultant 
			  Canberra-Security works 84,116 Framework Consultant 
			 Ridge and Partners Podgorica New Embassy and Residence 90,000 Spend figure 
			  NW Europe Asbestos Surveys 77,785 Framework Consultant 
			  Tripoli-Asbestos Surveys 9,032 Framework Consultant 
			  Rabat-PM services 29,207 Framework Consultant 
			  Belgrade-Feasibility Study 25,000 Framework Consultant 
			  Ottawa Office-Upgrade 211,000 Framework Consultant 
			  Khartoum-Asbestos surveys 11,977 Framework Consultant 
			  Basra-Office fit-out 14,622 Framework Consultant 
			  Belgrade-Facade Repairs 22,752 Framework Consultant 
			  New Delhi-Asbestos Review 9,960 Framework Consultant 
			 Toffco SDN BHD Kuala Lumpur Repairs to Residential Block and Staff Club 19,013.04 Contract sum 
			  Kuala Lumpur Car Park Waterproofing works 83,992.80 Contract sum 
			  Kuala Lumpur: Replacement of East Perimeter Wall 276,434.00 Contract sum 
			 Windell Ltd Singapore Blast Enhanced Glazing 570,466.00 Contract sum 
			 Zeal Interiors Wellington-Office Refurbishment 215,163 -

Departmental Contracts

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 1 July 2009,  Official Report, column 284W, on departmental contracts, what the monetary value is of each contract entered into by his Department during financial year 2008-09 with  (a) Bramble.cc Ltd.,  (b) Business Objects (UK) Limited,  (c) Computacenter,  (d) Data Capture Solutions and  (e) ODEC Ltd.

Chris Bryant: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) only has a static database of all of its contracts in the UK and overseas which was compiled in the latter part of 2008. Work is currently being undertaken to convert this to a real time database. To gather all of the contract information for 2008-09 would involve disproportionate cost so the following response reflects records kept by the two contracts teams in the FCO and FCO Services for 2008-09 which will cover a high proportion of the contracts awarded by the FCO in the UK during the period.
	
		
			Monetary value (£)  Comment 
			 Bramble CC Ltd Provision of Consultancy Services of Taxonomy Specialists 44,750 - 
			 Business Objects (UK) Ltd 07/08 Financial Model and Statutory Accounting System Support 337,000 - 
			 Computacenter Provision of Contractors through OGC Catalyst Framework 988,044.39 Spend figure 
			 Data Capture solutions Scanning of Treaty Texts - Price per page subject to usage 
			 ODEC Ltd Provision of Analyst for Joint Narcotics Analysists Centre 117,250 Contract sum

Departmental Contracts

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 1 July 2009,  Official Report, column 284W, on departmental contracts, what the monetary value is of each contract entered into by his Department during financial year 2008-09 with  (a) Ambrose HR Ltd.,  (b) Capita Group plc,  (c) LA International,  (d) Morson Human Resources Ltd.,  (e) Morson International,  (f) Spire Business Support Ltd.,  (g) TMP (UK) Ltd. and  (h) Veredus.

Chris Bryant: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) only has a static database of all of its contracts in the UK and overseas which was compiled in the latter part of 2008. Work is currently being undertaken to convert this to a real time database. To gather all of the contract information for 2008-09 would involve disproportionate cost so the following table reflects records kept by the two contracts teams in the FCO and FCO Services for 2008-09 which will cover a high proportion of the contracts awarded by the FCO in the UK during the period.
	
		
			Monetary value (£)  Comment 
			 Ambrose HR Ltd. Provision of consultancy services 37,484.00 Contract sum 
			 Capita Group plc Provision of contractors through OGC Catalist Framework 215,930.00 Spend figure 
			 LA International Provision of contractors through OGC Catalist Framework and FCO Services Framework 3,344,102.99 Spend figure 
			 Morson Human Resources Ltd See contract for Morson listed under Morson International below - - 
			 Morson International Provision of TWS staff 7,674,726 Contract sum 
			 Spire Business Support Ltd. Provision of consultancy services 121,000.00 Contract sum 
			 Veredus Provision of contractors through OGD Frameworks 694,188.38 Spend figure

Departmental Contracts

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 1 July 2009,  Official Report, column 284W, on departmental contracts, what contracts were entered into with  (a) Coffey International Development Ltd.,  (b) CP Recoveries,  (c) Crown Agents,  (d) Ebla Translations,  (e) DGSI,  (f) Disposal Services Authority,  (g) Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP,  (h) Fugro Middle East,  (i) GTZ,  (j) Heathrow Airport Limited,  (k) MCI UK Ltd.,  (l) RN Golds Associates,  (m) SMA Ltd.,  (n) Thales UK Ltd. and  (o) The Carbon Trust in 2008-09; and what the monetary value of each such contract was.

Chris Bryant: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) only has a static database of all of its contracts in the UK and overseas which was compiled in the latter part of 2008. Work is currently being undertaken to convert this to a real time database. To gather all of the contract information for 2008-09 would involve disproportionate cost so the following table reflects records kept by the two contracts teams in the FCO and FCO Services for 2008-09 which will cover a high proportion of the contracts awarded by the FCO in the UK during the period.
	
		
			Monetary value (£)  Comment 
			 Coffey International Development Ltd. Civilian support to Ministry of Interior and Iraqi Police Service 4,049,475 - 
			  Fiscal policy assistance for Government of Maldives 46,510 - 
			 CP Recoveries Consultancy services-construction project review and remediation 121,550.00 Contract sum 
			 Crown Agents Life support services in Afghanistan 1,189,090 - 
			  Provision of interpreter for BCG Basra 52,908 - 
			 Ebla Translations Translation for Arabic and Urdu websites - Price per 1,000 words translated -subject to usage 
			 DGSI Provision of IT software and hardware 1,194,797.16 Spend figure 
			 Disposal Services Authority Managed disposal service 5,000 - 
			 Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP Provision of legal advisers to major Telecommunications procurement 199,619 - 
			 Fugro Middle East Dubai-Soil Investigations 7,509 - 
			 GTZ Drug education, detoxification and rehabilitation services to Afghan National Police 500,000 - 
			 Heathrow Airport Limited Service agreement in relation to royal suite at Heathrow airport 686,100 -- 
			 MCI UK Ltd. Event management services for FCO Leadership Conference 2009 207,104 - 
			 RN Golds Associates Consultancy services-services and construction phase audit/QS services 33,510 - 
			 SMA Ltd Worldwide Lift Consultancy Term Commission 1,634,457.23 Contract sum 
			 Thales UK Ltd. Provision of and secure destruction of security goods 643,839.00 Spend figure 
			 The Carbon Trust Carbon Trust consultancies 110,000.00 -

Departmental Databases

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what categories of personal information on members of the public will be held on each database expected to become operational in the next five years and which will be managed by his Department or one of its agencies; what estimate he has made of the likely number of individuals' details each such database will hold when fully operational; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Bryant: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)'s Data Protection Register entry with the Information Commissioner's Office is to be renewed in September this year. The general categories for which the Department processes personal data for its work will be similar to those listed now, for example, processing a range of personal data for providing consular assistance to British nationals overseas. However, the FCO will continue to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998 and governmental data handling standards.

Departmental Manpower

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff his Department employed in  (a) the Middle East and  (b) South Asia (i) in 2007 and (ii) on the latest date for which figures are available.

Chris Bryant: On 1 April 2007 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) employed 133 UK civil servants at posts in the middle east and 104 UK civil servants at posts in south Asia.
	On 1 July 2009 the FCO employed 137 UK civil servants at posts in the middle east and 147 UK civil servants at posts in south Asia.
	We do not hold figures centrally for the numbers of staff recruited locally to work at each post.

Departmental Pay

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 20 May 2009,  Official Report, column 1420W, on departmental pay, who the employers are who are paying less than £7.45 an hour for work contracted out by his Department; what the nature of the work undertaken on each contract is; how many staff at each  (a) payband and  (b) location are working on each contract; what the duration of each contract is; and what union recognition agreements are in place with each contractor.

Chris Bryant: holding answer 9 July 2009
	Two contractors working within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) pay some of their staff less than £7.45 per hour.
	These contractors are Interserve and Compass. Both companies share responsibility for delivering different facilities management services to the FCO, including cleaning, porterage, grounds maintenance and catering. Neither company operates a payband structure.
	In the case of Interserve, it employs 40 cleaners, and one porter based in London who are paid less than £7.45 per hour. It also employs 19 cleaners, three porters and one grounds maintenance operative based in our offices near Milton Keynes who are paid less than £7.45 per hour.
	Compass employs 17 catering staff in London and 12 catering staff in our offices near Milton Keynes who are paid less than £7.45 per hour.
	The contract the above companies deliver commenced on 1 December 2008 and is set to run for a minimum of seven years, with an option to extend for up to three further years.
	Both companies recognise all UK unions and actively consult with them on issues which affect their members.

Departmental Policy

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what policy objectives he has set for the UK's economic and political cooperation with its international partners; and what his assessment is of his Department's performance against those objectives in  (a) 2008 and  (b) 2009.

Chris Bryant: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)'s annual report for the financial year 2008-09 was laid before Parliament on 30 June 2009 and is also available at:
	http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-the-fco/publications/publications/annual-reports/departmental-report/
	as is the report for 2007-08. The report sets out how the FCO spends public funds to meet its policy and service delivery objectives.

Departmental Procurement

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes have been made to his Department's  (a) office equipment and  (b) stationery purchasing policy in the last six months.

Chris Bryant: In April 2009 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) introduced a policy change for its stationery and office equipment requirements. This ensures that an approved core-list of non-branded products is purchased rather than more expensive brand-name alternatives. The policy change will save the FCO approximately £32,000 in the current financial year.

Embassies: EU Countries

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost to the public purse of the British Embassy in each other European Union member state was in each of the last 10 years.

Chris Bryant: The information requested by the hon. Member is set out in the table. The information includes some current EU member states which were not members 10 years ago.
	The apparent rise in costs in 2004-05 relate to a change in costing methodology. In 2006-07 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office reverted back to the previous methodology (and has continued to use this methodology since).
	
		
			  Net running costs for British embassies and high commissions in European Union countries 
			Net running costs in each year (all figures in GBP) 
			  Country  Embassy/high commission  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04 
			 Austria Vienna 5,284,113 5,474,148 2,794,757 3,196,085 6,209,295 
			 Belgium Brussels 11,900,083 - 13,405,711 5,196,904 6,641,446 
			 Bulgaria Sofia 1,045,318 1,595,213 3,225,912 - 2,321,637 
			 Cyprus Nicosia 2,444,718 2,851,383 3,016,058 - 3,830,030 
			 Czech Republic Prague 2,277,065 2,815,881 2,719,503 - 3,440,671 
			 Denmark Copenhagen 2,855,888 3,286,808 3,558,954 4,300,612 4,507,265 
			 Estonia Tallinn 1,006,415 1,299,208 1,167,332 962,467 1,547,297 
			 Finland Helsinki 2,903,325 3,311,850 3,412,726 3,469,064 4,125,316 
			 France Paris 14,438,010 16,358,233 15,022,547 19,884,234 20,270,541 
			 Germany Berlin 10,078,569 12,055,033 12,976,590 14,214,571 12,641,292 
			 Greece Athens 3,787,077 4,741,176 5,190,764 6,622,480 7,488,108 
			 Hungary Budapest 3,908,898 4,183,592 3,796,268 4,501,150 4,941,115 
			 Ireland Dublin 2,941,175 3,298,197 3,671,490 4,964,419 4,748,141 
			 Italy Rome 8,818,516 9,693,033 7,888,783 10,747,995 10,166,167 
			 Latvia Riga 997,955 1,593,727 1,693,576 1,714,186 1,636,662 
			 Lithuania Vilnius 807,832 1,178,891 1,288,900 1,136,211 1,488,212 
			 Luxembourg Luxembourg 886,140 1,187,541 1,146,021 1,290,995 1,320,058 
			 Malta Valletta 973,582 1,552,250 1,779,689 1,960,630 2,348,864 
			 Netherlands The Hague 3,713,759 4,031,701 3,941,971 4,672,907 5,184,064 
			 Poland Warsaw 4,496,910 5,174,545 5,769,669 5,881,296 6,053,874 
			 Portugal Lisbon 3,022,647 3,590,121 3,455,653 4,029,547 4,991,692 
			 Romania Bucharest 1,756,600 2,476,491 2,423,329 2,842,576 2,592,479 
			 Slovakia Bratislava 806,180 1,220,522 1,546,586 1,539,024 1,773,036 
			 Slovenia Ljubljana 962,517 1,248,588 1,446,634 1,525,429 1,781,360 
			 Spain Madrid 7,273,486 7,474,979 7,396,430 9,099,869 10,773,854 
			 Sweden Stockholm 2,789,334 3,435,954 3,433,977 4,270,636 4,479,131 
		
	
	
		
			Net running costs in each year (all figures in GBP) 
			  Country  Embassy/high commission  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Austria Vienna 7,901,171 7,091,980 5,154,578 5,928,659 6,781,395 
			 Belgium Brussels 8,795,892 - 4,182,219 4,144,313 4,168,378 
			 Bulgaria Sofia 3,580,902 3,917,076 3,909,167 3,156,833 4,067,144 
			 Cyprus Nicosia 6,171,753 5,336,535 4,551,733 4,974,961 5,648,812 
			 Czech Republic Prague 5,465,549 4,542,341 4,064,547 3,547,572 4,425,612 
			 Denmark Copenhagen 6,521,838 5,743,562 5,916,598 4,073,563 4,774,473 
			 Estonia Tallinn 2,178,864 1,871,677 2,119,125 2,093,100 1,391,670 
			 Finland Helsinki 5,681,332 3,743,114 5,329,138 3,745,381 4,208,696 
			 France Paris 26,849,816 18,452,952 18,575,183 16,086,714 20,739,467 
			 Germany Berlin 38,957,543 15,132,205 16,826,684 15,675,405 16,911,590 
			 Greece Athens 12,960,926 6,780,887 6,403,547 6,056,019 6,846,402 
			 Hungary Budapest 7,067,258 5,600,271 4,969,077 4,289,562 4,733,193 
			 Ireland Dublin 4,889,385 2,787,857 4,245,726 3,717,417 -3,176,461 
			 Italy Rome 14,516,880 9,492,625 9,590,323 9,601,594 10,907,234 
			 Latvia Riga 2,493,770 1,774,631 1,941,832 1,580,106 1,626,962 
			 Lithuania Vilnius 2,823,759 1,815,066 1,778,462 1,711,964 1,996,889 
			 Luxembourg Luxembourg 2,446,748 1,617,676 1,522,575 1,519,722 1,394,414 
			 Malta Valletta 3,760,902 2,849,295 2,649,137 2,275,026 2,141,074 
			 Netherlands The Hague 8,521,455 5,756,783 6,465,067 3,765,454 5,165,812 
			 Poland Warsaw 11,019,212 7,566,280 6,900,570 6,218,564 7,751,832 
			 Portugal Lisbon 6,606,631 3,937,855 5,029,238 -1,612,899 4,584,174 
			 Romania Bucharest 2,778,120 5,024,590 5,062,753 4,996,143 4,681,311 
			 Slovakia Bratislava 2,834,615 2,016,006 2,461,017 2,030,605 1,947,497 
			 Slovenia Ljubljana 2,955,471 2,128,466 1,813,669 1,906,867 1,834,833 
			 Spain Madrid 14,900,850 9,854,579 8,102,549 7,471,356 -32,584,036 
			 Sweden Stockholm 6,515,561 3,917,020 3,876,941 4,032,765 4,232,479 
			  Notes: 1. Figures for all current European Union countries have been provided. However, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia did not join the European Union until 1 May 2004, and Bulgaria and Romania did not join the European Union until 1 January 2007. 2. Figures for the embassy in Brussels for 2000-01 and 2005-06, and the Embassies in Nicosia, Prague, and Sofia for 2002-03 are not available and the IT system on which the figures were recorded is no longer in use.  3. The figures for the embassies in Lisbon for 2007-08, and in Dublin and Madrid for 2008-09 are negative due to net proceeds from sale of property.

Freedom of Information: Trident

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in respect of which his Department has disclosed information in the last 12 months have related to the replacement of the Trident nuclear weapons system and its launch platform.

Chris Bryant: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has received no requests in the last 12 months under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 related to the replacement of the Trident nuclear weapons system and its launch platform.

Iran: Internet

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr. Lidington) of 25 June 2009,  Official Report, column 1072W, on Iran: internet, whether his Department has received reports of the Iranian Government using technology or software provided by British companies to inspect, monitor or filter internet content.

Ivan Lewis: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is not aware of any such reports.

Locate System

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department's Locate system for tracking British travellers.

Chris Bryant: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)'s overseas online registration and crisis database, Locate, enables British nationals to let the FCO know about their travel and residence outside of the UK. It is also a tool designed specifically for handling consular crises. Since its media launch in May 2008, the FCO website and Know Before You Go campaign literature has encouraged British travellers to use Locate. We have also used Locate successfully as part of our response to recent crises, most notably during the Sichuan earthquake and the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008.
	An audit of Locate in March 2009 showed that many expatriate Britons around the world are registering with Locate and that our embassy staff are trained and ready to use the system in a crisis. The audit identified ways to improve Locate's functionality and better promote it. The results of the audit, and continual assessments of Locate's performance, are informing how we develop this important consular tool.

Royal Visits

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the participation on official visits sponsored by his Department of  (a) the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall on visits to (i) South East Asia from 26 October to 5 November 2008 and (ii) Chile, Brazil and Equador from 7 to 18 March 2009 and  (b) the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester on a visit to Tonga from 27 July to 6 August 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Bryant: The Asia tour by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall in October to November 2008 was highly effective in bolstering our relationships with important countries. The visit to Japan was the culmination of a year-long major UK-Japan festival marking the 150th anniversary of UK-Japan diplomatic relations. The environment and climate change were important themes, and a corporate leaders' group on climate change was established. In Brunei, the British garrison was a major feature along with initiatives to promote a low carbon, high growth, global economy. The key themes for the visit to Indonesia were climate change, environment and interfaith dialogue.
	Their Royal Highnesses' Latin American tour in March 2009 was similarly effective. The visit to Chile encompassed environmental, social and defence issues; his Royal Highness participated in the launch of an energy efficiency programme for the young. The visit to Brazil centred on climate change and strengthened our growing relationship with this major regional player. It included constructive discussion on sustainable development in the Amazon. The visit to the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador marked the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin and the 50th of the foundation of the Galapagos National Park, and was a special opportunity to highlight wildlife protection.
	Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester visited Tonga in 2008 to represent Her Majesty the Queen at the coronation of King George Tupou V. It was particularly important that a member of the British Royal Family was present to bolster support for King George Tupou V's voluntary surrender of constitutional powers in order to make Tonga a constitutional monarchy. The tour also incorporated an official visit to the Solomon Islands to celebrate its 30th anniversary of independence.

Spirit of Humanity

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has made representations to the Government of Israel over the interception in international waters by the Israeli navy of the Free Gaza ship, Spirit of Humanity and the subsequent detention in an Israeli port of the vessel and those on board; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 13 July 2009
	We are unable to confirm whether the Spirit of Humanity was intercepted in international waters or in Gazan waters. When my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary spoke to his Israeli counterpart, Avigdor Lieberman, on 1 July 2009, he raised the issue with him. Officials at our embassy in Tel Aviv confirm that they were given good access to the British nationals arrested by the Israelis and that they were all treated well during their detention. The Israeli authorities deported the British nationals on 6 July 2009 and they are now back in the UK.

Sri Lanka: Election Observers

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to seek to ensure that independent observers monitor the forthcoming municipal elections in Jaffna and Vavuniya in Sri Lanka.

Ivan Lewis: At least two independent Sri Lankan organisations intend to monitor the upcoming municipal election in Vavuniya and Jaffna. Our view remains that a political process, based on respect, inclusion and rule of law is essential to address the underlying causes of the recent conflict in Sri Lanka. Ensuring all elections are transparent, free and fair is a crucial part of this process.

Sri Lanka: Internally Displaced Persons

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received on the ability of residents of Jaffna and Vavuniya who have been displaced and are being held in government clearing centres to vote in the forthcoming municipal elections in Sri Lanka.

Ivan Lewis: The Sri Lankan Government announced special measures to enable internally displaced persons (IDPs) to vote in the upcoming municipal elections. Given the continued restrictions on freedom of movement in the IDP camps we understand that very few IDPs have registered to vote. We have raised regularly with the Sri Lankan Government the need to allow IDPs freedom of movement and to make meaningful progress on an inclusive political process.

Western Sahara: Natural Resources

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the legality of the practices of the Moroccan Government in extracting resources from Western Sahara; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Bryant: We have received no recent reports on the legality of the practices of the Moroccan Government in extracting resources from the Western Sahara. I am however aware of academic papers on this matter by the Former Legal Counsel of the UN.
	The Government maintain the position that the Government of Morocco-as the de facto administering power of Western Sahara-are obliged under international law to ensure that economic activities under administration, including the extraction and exportation of phosphates, do not adversely affect the interests of the people of Western Sahara.

CABINET OFFICE

Civil Service: Manpower

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many full-time equivalent civil servants were employed in  (a) the City of York unitary authority and  (b) Yorkshire and the Humber by each Governmen Department and Executive agency in each year since 1996.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated July 2009:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning how many full-time equivalent civil servants were employed in (a) the City of York unitary local authority and (b) Yorkshire and the Humber by each Government department and executive agency in each year since 1996. 285752
	In order to provide the information requested for York, ad hoc analysis has been required. This analysis is based on the Mandate collection (1997-2006) which provides approximately 90 per cent coverage of Civil Service departments and agencies and the Annual Civil Service Employment Survey (2007-2008) which provides 100 per cent coverage. For years prior to 2003 coverage is lower.
	The requested data for York are attached in Annex A.
	The number of full-time equivalent staff employed in Yorkshire and the Humber by government departments and executive agencies from 1996-2005 has been published by Cabinet Office and is available on-line:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/who/statistics/archived-reports.aspx
	The number of full-time equivalent staff employed by government departments and their executive agencies for Yorkshire and the Humber, 2006-2008, is attached in Annex B.
	The information referred to as Annex A and Annex B has been placed in the Library.

Death: Alcohol

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many alcohol-related deaths there were in each age group in each primary care trust area in each year since 1997.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated July 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many alcohol-related deaths there were in each age group in each primary care trust area in each year since 1997. (285375)
	The table provides the number of deaths with an alcohol-related underlying cause in each primary care organisation in England, by age group, from 1997 to 2008 (the latest year available). A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

Death: Bacterial Diseases

Norman Lamb: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many deaths attributable to necrotizing fasciitis there were in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated July 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many deaths attributable to necrotizing fasciitis there were in each of the last five years. (285463)
	The table attached provides the number of deaths where necrotizing fasciitis was the underlying cause of death, in England and Wales, from 2004 to 2008 (the latest year available).
	
		
			  Table 1. Number of deaths where necrotizing fasciitis( 1)  was the underlying cause of death, in England and Wales( 2) , 2004 to 2008( 3, 4) 
			   Persons (deaths) 
			 2004 70 
			 2005 79 
			 2006 65 
			 2007 87 
			 2008 92 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) code M72.5 (Fasciitis, not elsewhere classified). (2) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. (4) Figures for deaths registered in 2008 are provisional.

Death: Methanol

Norman Lamb: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many deaths attributable to methanol poisoning there were in each region in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated July 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many deaths attributable to methanol poisoning there were in each region in each of the last five years. (285464)
	The table attached provides the number of deaths where the toxic effect of methanol was the cause of death, in each government office region in England from 2004 to 2008.
	The toxic effect of methanol does not appear as the underlying cause of death, but is identified from the secondary cause, or 'main injury' field in the death registration data. The figures provided may include deaths which resulted from an accident, suicide or homicide.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of deaths where the toxic effect of methanol( 1)  was the cause of death, Government office regions in England( 2) , 2004-08( 3, 4) 
			  Deaths (persons) 
			  Government office region  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 North East 0 1 0 0 1 
			 North West 0 1 0 0 0 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 0 0 0 0 0 
			 East Midlands 0 0 0 0 0 
			 West Midlands 0 0 0 0 0 
			 East of England 0 0 0 0 0 
			 London 0 0 0 0 1 
			 South East 1 0 1 0 0 
			 South West 0 0 1 0 0 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) code T51.1 (Toxic effect of methanol), where this code appeared as a secondary cause. (2) Based on boundaries as of 2009. (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. (4) Figures for deaths registered in 2008 are provisional.

Departmental Data Protection

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many breaches of information security there have been at  (a) her Department and  (b) its agency in the last five years.

Tessa Jowell: There was one significant loss of security classified information and one loss of personal information for the period 1 March 2008 to 30 March 2009. There were no such losses in the 12 months before that period. Figures for previous years are not available.
	Information on breaches are published on an annual basis in the Department's annual report and accounts, as announced in the data handling review published on 25 June 2008.
	The Cabinet Office is not responsible for any Executive agencies.

Departmental Data Protection

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many  (a) attempts and  (b) successful attempts were made to gain unauthorised access to each (i) database and (ii) ICT system run by her Department in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Angela Smith: It is not in the interests of the UK's national security for Departments to confirm information on the number of attempts, successful or otherwise, to gain unauthorised access to departmental systems or databases. Such disclosure could undermine the integrity and security of departmental systems and thereby expose them to potential threats.
	The Cabinet Office complies with the mandatory requirements of the Security Policy Framework in relation to information security including managing the risk of unauthorised access to ICT systems.

Employment

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many  (a) men and  (b) women were working in the economy in each region in each of the last 30 years.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated July 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many  (a) men and  (b) women were working in the economy in each region in each of the last 30 years. (285686)
	The available information on people aged 16 and over in employment for 1992 to 2009 is shown in the attached table. Regional estimates for years prior to 1992 are not available on a comparable basis. This information is updated monthly as part of the Labour Market Statistics Bulletin and can be found on the National Statistics website at the following address:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/product.asp?vlnk=8281
	The estimates are derived from the Labour Force Survey. As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	
		
			  People aged 16 and over in employment by Government office region and sex, three- month period ending May 1992; then April  1993 to 2009, United Kingdom, seasonally adjusted 
			  Thousand 
			   North East  North West  Yorkshire and Humberside  East Midlands 
			   Men  Women  Men  Women  Men  Women  Men  Women 
			 1992 570 485 1,605 1,332 1,191 981 1,026 831 
			 1993 559 488 1,573 1,313 1,171 991 1,017 838 
			 1994 556 483 1,558 1,321 1,173 982 1,021 827 
			 1995 552 474 1,563 1,311 1,191 985 1,042 846 
			 1996 574 482 1,568 1,326 1,188 1,002 1,039 855 
			 1997 572 488 1,603 1,350 1,177 993 1,066 881 
			 1998 580 482 1,593 1,335 1,184 1,013 1,079 882 
			 1999 554 477 1,591 1,357 1,204 1,009 1,075 898 
			 2000 572 500 1,656 1,371 1,216 1,038 1,099 904 
			 2001 578 492 1,635 1,414 1,217 1,054 1,088 892 
			 2002 571 520 1,609 1,427 1,235 1,039 1,096 903 
			 2003 575 499 1,673 1,437 1,255 1,069 1,119 926 
			 2004 589 528 1,678 1,463 1,274 1,100 1,119 949 
			 2005 595 530 1,692 1,480 1,286 1,109 1,142 959 
			 2006 615 545 1,704 1,493 1,313 1,118 1,158 988 
			 2007 615 534 1,701 1,481 1,310 1,098 1,169 970 
			 2008 617 546 1,688 1,470 1,334 1,128 1,171 990 
			 2009 608 535 1,673 1,475 1,301 1,114 1,160 995 
		
	
	
		
			   West Midlands  Eastern  London  South East 
			   Men  Women  Men  Women  Men  Women  Men  Women 
			 1992 1,284 1,011 1,374 1,079 1,658 1,361 2,008 1,648 
			 1993 1,244 1,007 1,336 1,070 1,616 1,382 1,977 1,614 
			 1994 1,279 1,045 1,340 1,083 1,583 1,373 2,019 1,638 
			 1995 1,297 1,033 1,366 1,093 1,637 1,398 2,026 1,654 
			 1996 1,294 1,047 1,385 1,087 1,654 1,435 2,047 1,718 
			 1997 1,327 1,051 1,379 1,120 1,725 1,448 2,108 1,727 
			 1998 1,351 1,067 1,424 1,139 1,737 1,480 2,127 1,767 
			 1999 1,318 1,087 1,430 1,158 1,831 1,548 2,179 1,798 
			 2000 1,312 1,090 1,438 1,185 1,869 1,557 2,209 1,824 
			 2001 1,339 1,084 1,474 1,223 1,917 1,572 2,188 1,843 
			 2002 1,344 1,102 1,472 1,231 1,945 1,570 2,215 1,866 
			 2003 1,334 1,108 1,463 1,214 1,938 1,557 2,194 1,870 
			 2004 1,343 1,119 1,492 1,260 1,967 1,564 2,200 1,840 
			 2005 1,380 1,144 1,511 1,244 1,955 1,590 2,219 1,867 
			 2006 1,382 1,138 1,498 1,254 1,999 1,595 2,211 1,925 
			 2007 1,354 1,124 1,525 1,244 2,022 1,608 2,217 1,926 
			 2008 1,353 1,133 1,530 1,294 2,095 1,653 2,287 1,948 
			 2009 1,328 1,101 1,512 1,281 2,040 1,669 2,256 1,923 
		
	
	
		
			   South West  Wales  Scotland  Northern Ireland 
			   Men  Women  Men  Women  Men  Women  Men  Women 
			 1992 1,171 938 649 535 1,251 1,031 345 273 
			 1993 1,143 967 617 522 1,203 1,006 345 263 
			 1994 1,174 976 640 525 1,225 1,026 341 266 
			 1995 1,184 982 641 541 1,213 1,052 350 279 
			 1996 1,187 1,008 648 535 1,199 1,040 365 292 
			 1997 1,231 1,038 656 554 1,201 1,056 374 303 
			 1998 1,242 1,052 641 554 1,216 1,082 382 299 
			 1999 1,258 1,074 654 558 1,215 1,077 381 313 
			 2000 1,275 1,087 659 570 1,214 1,085 381 295 
			 2001 1,278 1,094 660 570 1,246 1,108 394 305 
			 2002 1,276 1,135 670 564 1,215 1,125 393 320 
			 2003 1,294 1,123 689 618 1,269 1,137 420 330 
			 2004 1,323 1,132 712 611 1,269 1,158 395 325 
			 2005 1,341 1,146 692 624 1,289 1,165 410 332 
			 2006 1,344 1,157 703 625 1,302 1,171 413 346 
			 2007 1,343 1,174 718 625 1,335 1,202 432 360 
			 2008 1,383 1,182 732 631 1,340 1,211 430 363 
			 2009 1,355 1,202 697 626 1,315 1,195 403 349 
			  Note:  The above estimates exclude people in most types of communal establishment (e.g. hotels, boarding houses, hostels mobile home sites etc.)   Source:  Labour Force Survey.

Employment

James Clappison: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many and what proportion of  (a) UK nationals,  (b) UK born people,  (c) foreign nationals,  (d) non-UK EU nationals,  (e) EU A8 nationals and  (f) non-EU nationals of working age in the UK were in employment in the second quarter of 2009.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated July 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many and what proportion of (a) UK nationals, (b) UK born people, (c) foreign nationals, (d) non-UK EU nationals, (e) EU A8 nationals and (f) non-EU nationals of working age in the UK were in employment in the second quarter of 2009. (286459)
	The information for the April to June 2009 Labour Force Survey (LFS) quarter will not be available until 12 August 2009, the release date of the August Labour Market Statistics Statistical Bulletin.

Freedom of Information

Nick Hurd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when her Department plans to provide a substantive answer to Freedom of Information Act request FO1252511; and what the reasons are for the time taken to assess the public interest in relation to the request.

Angela Smith: The information requested under the Freedom of Information Act request FO125251 was released on 8 June 2009.

Lord Ashcroft

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many documents her Department has made available to the Information Commissioner in relation to the request by the hon. Member for Pendle under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for information on the assurances given by Lord Ashcroft on his tax status prior to his elevation to the peerage.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 9 July 2009
	 Information provided to the Information Commissioner as part of an investigation is provided in confidence. It is not Cabinet Office practice to comment on such investigations.

National Income

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the gross domestic product of each region of the UK was in each of the last 30 years.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated July 2009:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question about the average gross domestic product in each region of the UK for the last thirty years. (286293)
	Information on gross domestic product by region is not available for years from 1997 onwards. However the Office for National Statistics does publish estimates of regional gross value added (GVA) using official statistical geographies known as the Nomenclature of Units for Territorial Statistics (NUTS). Data at NUTS1 level refer to Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and the Government Office Regions of England. GDP at market prices is equal to GVA at basic prices plus taxes on products (e.g. VAT, excise duties on alcohol, tobacco and fuel) less subsidies on products (e.g. the majority of agricultural subsidies).
	A full range of published NUTS1 GVA estimates from 1989, including GVA per head, is available on the ONS website:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/PROGRESS_NUTS1.xls
	Although information on gross domestic product (GDP) is available at NUTS 1 for years up to 1996, it was compiled on different conceptual, geographical and industrial bases from the current GVA estimates and is not comparable.
	Further information is available from:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=14650

Pay: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the average wage for  (a) full-time and  (b) part-time (i) male and (ii) female employees is; and what the average household income of working age households was in the City of York local authority area in (A) cash and (B) real terms in (1) 1997 and (2) 2008.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated July 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the average wage for (a) full-time and (b) part-time (i) male and (ii) female employees is; and what the average household income of working age households was in the City of York local authority area in (A) cash and (B) real terms in (1) 1997 and (2) 2008. (285825)
	Average levels of earnings are estimated from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), and are provided for all employees on adult rates of pay whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence. I refer you to the answer given in the Official Report, 24 February 2009, volume 488, column 594 for the average wage for (a) full-time and (b) part- time (i) male and (ii) female employees in the City of York local authority area in (A) cash and (B) real terms in (1) 1997 and (2) 2008.
	Information regarding the average household income of working age households is not available for the City of York local authority area.

Regional Development Agencies

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what guidance her Department issued to officials from regional development agencies on meeting hon. Members during the restricted period before the local and European Parliament elections in 2009.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 9 July 2009
	I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made on 19 March 2009,  Official Report, 70W. Copies of the guidance were placed in the Libraries of Houses and on the Cabinet Office website at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/propriety_and_ethics/civil_service/election_guidance.aspx

HEALTH

Accident and Emergency Departments

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  with reference to the announcement of his Department's Emergency Service Review on 3 June 2009, which standards in emergency care are classified as having been challenged in the winter of 2008-09;
	(2)  when he expects to receive the report of the Emergency Services Review; and what data that review is analysing from the last and previous years to understand the root causes of declines in performance.

Mike O'Brien: The Emergency Services Review (ESR) is led by the Office of the Strategic Health Authorities on behalf of SHA chief executives and will deliver a range of outputs including conferences, tools and guides rather than producing a single report. As part of the ESR, a number of tools for local health services to use are being published this month, and a series of regional conferences are taking place between June and September of this year. An Intensive Support Team has been established to support specific challenges within the local national health service in relation to operational performance in the delivery of high quality urgent and emergency care. The analysis undertaken has included detailed work with partners drawing on a broad range of quantitative data and expert input.
	No formal classification of 'challenged' was applied to performance standards during last winter. The severe weather in 2008-09 led to performance dips in some parts of the country during winter, both in ambulance response times and the accident and emergency (AE) 4 hour standard. Despite this, the NHS performed very well, meeting the AE 4 hour standard for the year and performing well against the new, more rigorous ambulance response time measurement.

Accident and Emergency Departments: Hampshire

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people of each age group attended accident and emergency departments in each NHS trust area within the ceremonial county of Hampshire for treatment for injuries sustained in an attack by a dog in each of the last five years.

Mike O'Brien: Information is not available in the format requested. The following table shows the number of patients admitted to hospital through accident and emergency departments (A and Es) for hospital providers in the ceremonial county of Hampshire with a cause code of W54 (bitten or struck by dog). 2007-08 is the most recent financial year for which data are available. Information has therefore been provided for the five financial years to 2007-08.
	
		
			  Admission episodes where the patient was admitted via A and E with cause code W54 (bitten or struck by dog), by hospital providers in Hampshire and age group 
			   NHS trust  Under 10  10-18  Over 18  Total 
			 2003-04 Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust 8 0 9 17 
			  Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust * * 16 27 
			  Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust 0 * * * 
			  North Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust * * * * 
			   
			 2004-05 Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust * * 14 19 
			  Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust 14 6 13 33 
			  Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust 0 0 * * 
			  North Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust 0 0 * * 
			   
			 2005-06 Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust * * 20 30 
			  Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust 9 8 19 36 
			  Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust * 0 * * 
			  North Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust * 0 * 7 
			   
			 2006-07 Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust * * 18 29 
			  Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust * * 19 38 
			  Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust 0 * * 8 
			  Basingstoke and North Hampshire NHS Foundation Trust 0 * * * 
			   
			 2007-08 Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust * * 20 28 
			  Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust * * 21 38 
			  Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust 0 0 * * 
			  Basingstoke and North Hampshire NHS Foundation Trust * 0 * 7 
			  Notes: 1. To protect patient confidentiality, figures between one and five have been suppressed and replaced with *. Where it was possible to identify numbers from the total due to a single suppressed number in a row or column, an additional number (the next smallest) has been suppressed. 2. HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. The quality and coverage of the data have improved over time. These improvements in information submitted by the national health service have been particularly marked in the earlier years and need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. Some of the increase in figures for later years (particularly 2006-07 onwards) may be due to the improvement in the coverage of independent sector activity. Changes in NHS practice also need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. For example, a number of procedures may now be undertaken in outpatient settings and may no longer be accounted for in the HES data. This may account for any reductions in activity over time. 3. HES are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts in England. Data are also received from a number of independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain. 4. Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed). 5. A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. Finished admission episodes are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. 6. The cause code is a supplementary code that indicates the nature of any external cause of injury, poisoning or other adverse effects. The field within HES counts only the first external cause code which is coded within the episode. Cause code used: W54-Bitten or struck by dog. 7. The admission method field within HES contains a code which identifies how the patient was admitted to hospital. Admission method codes used in this case were: 21 = Emergency: via AE services, including the casualty department of the provider 28 = Emergency: other means, including patients who arrive via the A and E department of another health care provider  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), the Information Centre for health and social care

Accident and Emergency Departments: Staffordshire

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision at what locations there is in the South Staffordshire Primary Care Trust area for emergency referrals for children, the elderly and vulnerable adults outside normal working hours.

Mike O'Brien: This information is not collected centrally. Strategic health authorities and primary care trusts (PCTs) determine how to most effectively meet the needs of their local populations. I have asked the South Staffordshire PCT to send this information to my hon. Friend.

Cancer: Brain

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the NHS spent on the treatment of brain cancer in each strategic health authority area in each of the last six years.

Ann Keen: The information is not available in the format requested.

Dental Services

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the  (a) adult and  (b) child population of (i) Selby and York Primary Care Trust area, (ii) North Yorkshire Primary Care Trust area, (iii) Yorkshire and the Humber and (iv) England received treatment from an NHS general dental practitioner in the last 24 months.

Ann Keen: Information is not available in the format requested.
	Information on the number of patients seen by an NHS dentist in the previous 24 months as a percentage of the population, in England, is available in table D2 of annex 3 of the NHS Dental Statistics, Quarter 3: 31 December 2008 report. Data are available at primary care trust and strategic health authority level, and are provided by adults and children. The most recent published information covers the period from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2008.
	This report has already been placed in the Library.

Dental Services: Waiting Lists

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many people resident in Blaydon constituency were on a waiting list for orthodontic treatment in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many people in  (a) Gateshead Borough and  (b) the North East were on a waiting list for orthodontic treatment in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: The information is not available in the format requested. However, information on the waiting lists for orthodontic treatment in the Gateshead Primary Care Trust (PCT) area is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Oral surgery-total number of incomplete pathways 
			   Gateshead PCT  North East Strategic Health Authority  England 
			 August 2007 244 3,011 152,302 
			 April 2008 136 3,850 121,032 
			 April 2009 127 3,431 111,188 
			  Note: Data on incomplete pathways only published since August 2007  Source: Department of Health 18 weeks RTT data

Dental Services: Waiting Lists

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the average waiting time for  (a) initial orthodontic assessment and  (b) subsequent orthodontic treatment was in Gateshead borough in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what the average waiting time for  (a) initial orthodontic assessment and  (b) subsequent orthodontic treatment was in Blaydon constituency in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: The information is not available in the format requested. The following tables provide information on the median in-patient and out-patient waiting times for orthodontics and oral surgery within the Gateshead Primary Care Trust and the North East Strategic Health Authority areas.
	
		
			  Table 1: Median in-patient waiting time for elective admission (weeks). Time periods 2003-07 (commissioner based). Inpatient Commissioner Hospital Based Waiting List Statistics: Specialties-Oral Surgery, Orthodontics 
			   Gateshead  North East 
			  Month ending  Oral surgery  Orthodontics  Oral surgery  Orthodontics 
			 March 2003 8.4 n/a 8.4 8.0 
			 March 2004 7.9 n/a 8.4 8.2 
			 March 2005 6.0 n/a 6.6 n/a 
			 March 2006 4.2 n/a 6.6 n/a 
			 March 2007 9.3 n/a 6.5 n/a 
			 September 2007 6.8 n/a 7.1 n/a 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are shown for organisations that existed at the time. 2. In-patient waiting times are measured from decision to admit by the consultant to admission to hospital. 3. The last time this data was collected was for period ending September 2007. 4. Where n/a, no orthodontic waiters were declared for the time periods specified. 5. Median waiting times are calculated from aggregate data, rattier than patient level data, and therefore are only estimates of the position on average waits. 6. In particular, specialties with low numbers waiting are prone to fluctuations in the median. This should be taken into account when interpreting the data.  Source: Department of Health Waiting List Collections QF01 and MMRCOM 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Median out-patient waiting time for first out - patient appointment not seen (weeks). Time periods 2005-07 (commissioner based). Outpatient Commissioner Hospital Based Waiting List Statistics: Specialities-Oral Surgery, Orthodontics 
			   Gateshead  North East 
			  Month ending  Oral surgery  Orthodontics  Oral surgery  Orthodontics 
			 March 2005 4.4 n/a 4.5 5.4 
			 March 2006 5.5 n/a 4.7 5.6 
			 March 2007 4.3 5.1 4.1 4.4 
			 September 2007 4.5 6.3 3.8 4.5 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are shown for organisations that existed at the time. 2. Out-patient waiting times are measured from referral by the general practitioner (GP) to first out-patient appointment to the consultant. 3. From 2004-05 all time bands for outpatients not seen were first collected so only average waiting first out-patient times can be made from this point in time. 4. The last time this data was collected was for period ending September 2007. 5. Where n/a, no orthodontic waiters were declared for the time periods specified or there were very low numbers declared. 6. Median waiting times are calculated from aggregate data, rather than patient level data, and therefore are only estimates of the position on average waits. In particular, specialties with low numbers waiting are prone to fluctuations in the median. This should be taken into account when interpreting the data.  Source: Department of Health Waiting List Collections QM08R and MMRCOM 
		
	
	From 1 January 2009, no one should wait more than 18 weeks from the time they are referred by their GP or dentist to start of their consultant-led treatment unless it is clinically appropriate to do so or they choose to wait longer. The 18 weeks commitment covers pathways that involve or might involve consultant-led care, including orthodontics, which is now recorded under the oral surgery speciality.
	Latest data show that since January 2009, the national health service has been delivering the operating standards for 18 weeks to ensure that no one should wait more than 18 weeks from the time they are referred to the start of their consultant-led treatment, unless it is clinically appropriate to do so or they choose to wait longer.

Dental Services: Waiting Lists

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time for  (a) initial orthodontic assessment and  (b) subsequent orthodontic treatment was in England in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: Information is not collected centrally on waiting times for orthodontic treatment provided in primary care.
	Information is available for part of the period requested from which average hospital waiting times from referral to first out-patient appointment and from decision to hospital admission (both day case and in-patient) can be provided.
	This information available covers the period up to and including Quarter 2 2007-08. From Quarter 3 2007-08 this data collection no longer broke waits down by speciality.
	
		
			  Median orthodontic speciality out-patient waiting time for first out-patient appointment 
			  England 
			  Month ending  Weeks 
			 March 2005 5.1 
			 March 2006 3.9 
			 March 2007 4.2 
			 September 2007 3.9 
			  Source: Department of Health Waiting List Collections QM08R and MMRCOM 
		
	
	
		
			  Median orthodontic specialty in-patient waiting time for elective admission 
			  England 
			  Month ending  Weeks 
			 March 2003 11.2 
			 March 2004 9.2 
			 March 2005 8.9 
			 March 2006 6.8 
			 March 2007 4.0 
			 September 2007 5.8 
			  Notes: 1. Figures shown are for those recorded under the orthodontic speciality. 2. Out-patient waiting times are measured from referral by the dentist to first out-patient appointment to the consultant. The data are based on a snapshot in time, and so will include some patients who were yet to see a consultant. 3. In-patient waiting times are measured from the decision to admit by the consultant to admission to hospital. 4. The last time these data were collected was for the period ending September 2007. 5. Time bands for all specialties were only collected from 2004-05 onwards for out-patients so average waiting first out-patient times are only available from this point forward. 6. Median waiting times are calculated from aggregate data, rather than patient level data, and therefore are estimates of the position on average waits. 7. In particular, specialties with low numbers waiting are prone to fluctuations in the median. This should be taken into account when interpreting the data.  Source: Department of Health Waiting List Collections QF01 and MMRCOM 
		
	
	From 1 January 2009, no one should wait more than 18 weeks from the time they are referred by their general practitioner or dentist to start of their consultant-led treatment unless it is clinically appropriate to do so or they choose to wait longer. The 18 weeks commitment covers pathways that involve or might involve consultant-led care, including orthodontics, which is now recorded under the oral surgery speciality.
	Latest data show that since January 2009, the national health service has been delivering the operating standards for 18 weeks to ensure that no one should wait more than 18 weeks from the time they are referred to the start of their consultant-led treatment, unless it is clinically appropriate to do so or they choose to wait longer.

Dental Services: Waiting Lists

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were on a waiting list for orthodontic treatment in England in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: Information is not collected centrally on waiting times for national health service orthodontic treatment provided in primary care.
	From 1 January 2009, no one should wait more than 18 weeks from the time they are referred by their general practitioner or dentist to the start of their consultant-led treatment unless it is clinically appropriate to do so, or they choose to wait longer.
	The 18 weeks commitment covers pathways that involve or might involve consultant-led care. Referral to treatment (RTT) data collection monitors the length of time from referral through to treatment and is used to measure performance against the 18 weeks operational standard.
	Information is collected on the total number of incomplete RTT pathways, for oral surgery, which includes orthodontic treatment. This data looks at patients who have entered a RTT pathway but whose treatment had not yet started. Data are available from August 2007:
	
		
			  Total number of incomplete oral surgery RTT pathways, England 
			   Number 
			 August 2007 152,302 
			 April 2008 121,032 
			 April 2009 111,188 
			  Note: Data on incomplete pathways is only available from August 2007 onwards.

Dental Services: Waiting Lists

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people resident in  (a) the London Borough of Bexley and (b) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency were on a waiting list for orthodontic treatment in each of the last four years.

Ann Keen: Information is not collected centrally on waiting times for national health service orthodontic treatment provided in primary care.
	From 1 January 2009, no one should wait more than 18 weeks from the time they are referred by their general practitioner or dentist to the start of their consultant-led treatment unless it is clinically appropriate to do so, or they choose to wait longer.
	The 18 weeks commitment covers pathways that involve or might involve consultant-led care. Referral to treatment (RTT) data collection monitors the length of time from referral through to treatment and is used to measure performance against the 18 weeks operational standard.
	Information is collected on the total number of incomplete RTT pathways, for oral surgery, which includes orthodontic treatment. These data look at patients who have entered a RTT pathway but whose treatment had not yet started. Data are available from August 2007.
	The following table shows data for Bexley Care Trust.
	
		
			  Oral surgery: Total number of incomplete RTT pathways 
			   Bexley Care Trust 
			 August 2007 757 
			 April 2008 216 
			 April 2009 183 
			  Note: RTT data are only available from 2007 onwards.  Source: Department of Health 18 weeks RTT data

Departmental Public Expenditure

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his latest estimate is of his Department's  (a) capital budget and  (b) capital expenditure outturn in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11.

Mike O'Brien: Details of the Department's capital expenditure forecasts for 2009-10 and 2010-11 were published in the 2009 departmental report (page 218), Cm 7593, which is available in the Library.

General Practitioners: Working Hours

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate he has made of the change to the number of patient appointments available following the introduction of extended evening and weekend opening hours at GP practices in  (a) Tamworth and  (b) England.

Mike O'Brien: Information is not collected centrally on which individual general practitioner (GP) practices offer extended opening hours. GP practices can voluntarily participate in a national scheme where they should offer 30 minutes of extended opening for every 1,000 registered patients. Guidance issued to primary care trusts (PCTs) suggests that this would normally equate to 12 to 14 additional patient appointments being available in the average practice of 6,000 patients. However, there will be variations in the number of additional appointments available within each practice dependent on the list size of each practice participating in the scheme. It is not possible to estimate the number of additional appointments being delivered in Tamworth (South Staffordshire PCT). However, nationally, we estimate that around 5.5 million additional new appointments may have been created based on the current levels of extended opening. I have asked the PCT to provide any local information they have to my hon. Friend.

Hospital Beds

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Eddisbury (Mr. O'Brien) of 1 June 2009,  Official Report, column 117-8W, on hospital beds, whether his Department collates data on the  (a) sex and  (b) age of occupants of hospital beds.

Mike O'Brien: The Department does not collate these data. However, the NHS Information Centre publishes Hospital Episode Statistics for admitted patient care which are available by age and gender. Summary data are published at:
	www.hesonline.org.uk/Ease/servlet/ContentServer? siteID=1937categoryID=193

Hospitals: Admissions

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital admissions there were for  (a) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and  (b) respiratory diseases in (i) England and (ii) each primary care trust area in the latest period for which figures are available.

Ann Keen: The hospital admission data for 2007-08 for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and all respiratory disease in England and each primary care trust are contained in a the table which has been placed in the Library.

Hospitals: Waiting Lists

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time was for  (a) elective in-patient admission and  (b) first out-patient appointment in each specialty at York NHS Trust in each year since 1996.

Mike O'Brien: The information on the waiting times for York health services by specialty is shown in a table which has been placed in the Library.

Injuries: Dogs

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people aged  (a) under 10,  (b) between 10 and 18 and  (c) over 18 years of age were admitted to accident and emergency departments in each hospital trust under the external cause code of W54 as a result of an attack by a dog in each year since 2000.

Mike O'Brien: The information is not available in the format requested. Tables showing a count of the number (admission episodes) admitted to hospital via accident and emergency departments for hospital providers in England, with a cause code of W54 (bitten or struck by dog) have been placed in the Library. This information has been provided by the following age groups: under 10, between 10 and 18 and over 18, for each financial year from 2000-01 to 2007-08-the most recent financial year available.

Kidneys

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital admissions for the treatment of kidney stones were recorded in each year since 1997.

Ann Keen: The following table shows how many finished hospital admissions for the treatment of kidney stones were recorded in each year since 1997.
	
		
			  Count of finished admission episodes for the treatment of kidney stones (ICD-10 codes N20.0 and N20.2) 
			   Count 
			 2007-08 33,639 
			 2006-07 31,015 
			 2005-06 28,555 
			 2004-05 26,210 
			 2003-04 25,089 
			 2002-03 21,949 
			 2001-02 21,288 
			 2000-01 21,145 
			 1999-2000 21,030 
			 1998-99 21,074 
			 1997-98 20,932 
			 1996-97 20,158 
			 ICD-10 Code N20.0 Calculus of Kidney N20.2 Calculus of Kidney with calculus of ureter  Notes:  1. Ungrossed data Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).  2. Finished admission episodes A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. Finished admission episodes are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. We have provided finished admission with a primary diagnosis of ICD-10 codes N20.0 Calculus of kidney and N20.2 Calculus of kidney with calculus of ureter.  3. Primary diagnosis The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was admitted to hospital.  4. Data quality HES are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. Data is also received from a number of independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain.  5. Assessing growth through time HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. The quality and coverage of the data have improved over time. These improvements in information submitted by the NHS have been particularly marked in the earlier years and need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. Some of the increase in figures for later years (particularly 2006-07 onwards) may be due to the improvement in the coverage of independent sector activity. Changes in NHS practice also need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. For example, a number of procedures may now be undertaken in out-patient settings and may no longer be accounted for in the HES data. This may account for any reductions in activity over time. 6. Further primary diagnosis codes exist relating to kidney stones, however these are not limited to kidney stones and therefore have been excluded these are: N13.2 Hydronephrosis with renal and ureteral calculous obstruction includes but is not limited to ureteric calculus of kidney and hydronephrosis. N13.6 Pronephrosis includes but is not limited to ureteric calculus with calculus of kidney and hydronephrosis and infection. Q63.8 Other specific congenital malformations of kidney includes but is not limited to congenital calculus of kidney.  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care

Mental Health Services: Kent

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding his Department has allocated for the provision of mental health services in West Kent for 2009-10.

Gillian Merron: The information requested is not held centrally. Primary care trusts are responsible for decisions about the funding of mental health services based on the priorities and needs of the local population.

NHS: Debt

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 15 June 2009,  Official Report, column 494W, on the NHS: debt, how the NHS accounts for debts owed by trusts to bodies other than  (a) his Department and  (b) other Government bodies.

Mike O'Brien: From 2009-10, accounting for all types of creditor transactions by national health service organisations is in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards, as adapted and interpreted for the public sector by the Government Financial Reporting Manual issued by Her Majesty's Treasury.

NHS: Drugs

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been paid in  (a) legal costs and  (b) compensation awards arising from cases of adverse incidents associated with the use of medicines outside their licensed indication in the last 12 months.

Ann Keen: The information requested can be answered only at disproportionate cost because the NHS Litigation Authority does not record this information in a readily accessible format.

NHS: Private Sector

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what criteria relating to  (a) medical conditions and  (b) waiting times the eligibility of patients for access to treatment funded by the NHS in private hospitals is determined.

Mike O'Brien: Under free choice, patients who require an elective referral can choose to be treated at any clinically appropriate provider that meets national health service costs and standards (including waiting times standards). This includes all NHS Foundation trusts and NHS Acute trusts as well as a large number of Independent Sector providers and their hospitals.
	There are some services that fall outside the scope of the choice policy. Where speed of access is particularly important (for example, patients attending a rapid access chest pain cancer services under the two week maximum waiting time). Maternity and mental health services are also currently exempt.

Pharmacy

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support primary care trusts provide to pharmacies which do not reach their prescription items threshold for  (a) one month,  (b) six months and  (c) one year.

Mike O'Brien: Essential Small Pharmacy Local Pharmaceutical Services (ESPLPS) contracts are in place for those low-volume pharmacies considered by their primary care trust to be essential to the proper and sufficient provision of drugs and medicines within its area. This provides a 'top-up' where the dispensing activity falls below certain monthly thresholds. For other low-volume pharmacies it is a matter for the parties locally to agree what measures, if any, may be taken, including, for example, the commissioning of additional services.

Pregnant Women

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many health in pregnancy grants have been made in the London boroughs of  (a) Waltham Forest and  (b) Redbridge; and what estimate he has made of the number of residents of each borough who will be eligible for such grants in 2009-10.

Stephen Timms: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested is not yet available, it is estimated that, 140,000 mothers-to-be in London will be eligible for the Health in Pregnancy grant in 2009-10.

Prescription: Fees and Charges

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent progress his Department has made towards exempting from prescription charges people with long-term medical conditions; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Mr. Hoyle) on 29 June 2009,  Official Report, column 92W.

Primary Care Trusts: Working Hours

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been allocated to each primary care trust in respect of compliance with the revised requirements of the European Working Time Directive; and what assessment he has made of the use to which such funds have been put.

Ann Keen: A total of £310 million has been made available to support implementation of the Directive. In 2009-10 the tariff uplift includes £150 million implementing the Directive, while strategic health authorities will be able to target £50 million to support change and expansion in paediatrics, obstetrics and anaesthetics and other trained doctor solutions.
	Strategic health authorities have made clear to primary care trusts and trust boards the availability of funding and the criteria for its use.
	The strategic health authorities will report on usage in due course.

Swine Flu

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the statement of 12 June 2009,  Official Report, columns 1052-62, on swine flu update, what scenarios have been planned for; and which of these has enabled his Department to plan for the worst.

Gillian Merron: The planning assumptions set out in the National Framework for Responding to an Influenza Pandemic, which was published in November 2007, advise planning for a range of scenarios. A copy has already been placed in the Library. These were based on advice from the predecessor of the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Advisory Committee, the Scientific Advisory Group on Pandemic Influenza, and its subgroup on Modelling. These assumptions are for a considerably more severe and more infectious illness than the illness currently seen in the United Kingdom or abroad with the swine flu virus A(H1N1).

York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: Expenditure

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what capital expenditure York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has incurred in each year since 1996-97.

Mike O'Brien: The information is not available in the format requested.
	The following table shows data for 2001-02 to 2006-07, which are the only years for which information is available for the York Hospitals NHS Trust.
	
		
			   Charge against the capital resource limit (£000) 
			 2006-07 (20,778) 
			 2005-06 13,187 
			 2004-05 14,916 
			 2003-04 11,238 
			 2002-03 843 
			 2001-02 (9,281) 
			  Notes: 1. York Hospitals NHS Trust achieved Foundation Trust status on 1 April 2007. The Department does not collect data from foundation trusts, therefore no data are available for 2007-08. 2. The term capital expenditure has been interpreted to mean the charge against the Capital Resource Limit for the year. This charge is calculated as follows: (a) Gross capital expenditure in accruals terms for the period (b) Less the net book value of assets disposed of (c) Plus any loss on disposal of donated assets (d) Less capital grants received (e) Less donations 3. The negative figures in 2006-07 and 2001-02 indicate that the trust has disposed of assets with a net book value greater than the amount spent on the purchase of fixed assets in each period. 4. For the available data since achieving foundation trust status, my hon. Friend may wish to contact the York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust direct.  Source: Department of Health audited summarisation schedules.

York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: Waiting Times

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the  (a) average and  (b) maximum waiting time for (i) in-patient and (ii) day case admissions was at York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in the quarter ending (A) December 2006, (B) March 2007 and (C) June 2007.

Mike O'Brien: The information on the waiting time for York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Month ending  Type  Median waiting time (weeks)  Time band containing the longest waiter (weeks) 
			 2006-07 December 2006 Day case 8.5 25-26 
			  December 2006 Ordinary 7.8 25-26 
			  March 2007 Day case 6.7 19-20 
			  March 2007 Ordinary 6.5 19-20 
			  
			 2007-08 June 2007 Day case 6.0 19-20 
			  June 2007 Ordinary 6.5 19-20 
			  Notes: 1. The figures show the median waiting times for patients still waiting for admission at the end of the period stated. 2. In-patient waiting times are measure from decision to admit by the consultant to admission to hospital. 3. Median waiting times are calculated from aggregate data, rather than patient level data, and therefore are only estimates of the position on average waits.  Source: KH07

York Hospitals NHS Trust: Manpower

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time equivalent  (a) medical consultants,  (b) other medical staff,  (c) nurses,  (d) other professional staff,  (e) administrative and clerical staff and  (f) auxiliary staff were employed by York NHS Trust, excluding those transferred to Selby and York Primary Care Trust, in each year since 1996-97.

Ann Keen: The data are not available in the format requested. The following table shows national health service staff at the York Hospitals NHS Trust by main staff group as at 30 September each specified year.
	
		
			  Full-time equivalent 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 All Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS) Medical and Dental Consultants 102 98 110 109 120 113 119 131 149 155 158 157 
			  Of which: 
			 Medical Consultant 97 93 103 104 115 108 114 125 144 150 152 152 
			  
			 All HCHS Other Medical and Dental staff 159 176 172 171 138 124 174 189 195 215 222 217 
			  Of which: 
			 Medical Other 153 166 161 160 131 119 166 180 184 206 212 208 
			  
			 All Non-Medical staff 3,399 3,230 3,234 3,451 2,967 2,605 2,817 2,927 2,958 3,149 3,067 3,232 
			  
			 Professionally qualified clinical staff 1,771 1,667 1,707 1,840 1,476 1,270 1,335 1,393 1,430 1,539 1,517 1,513 
			 Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff 1,362 1,235 1,268 1,375 1,132 915 948 990 1,023 1,111 1,071 1,030 
			 Qualified scientific, therapeutic and technical staff 409 431 438 465 344 355 387 402 407 428 446 483 
			 Qualified Allied Health Professions 228 246 245 257 154 169 187 195 194 206 214 231 
			 Qualified Healthcare Scientists n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 94 98 105 113 111 138 
			 Other Qualified Scientific, therapeutic and technical (STT) staff 181 186 193 208 189 186 106 109 109 109 121 114 
			  
			 Support to clinical staff 1,021 974 945 1,014 936 788 885 908 908 1,009 968 885 
			 Support to doctors and nursing staff 915 866 832 887 783 605 688 707 696 793 764 670 
			 Support to STT staff 105 108 113 128 153 183 197 201 212 217 203 215 
			  
			 NHS infrastructure support 602 583 576 591 554 548 597 626 621 600 583 834 
			 Central functions 166 155 190 208 171 183 196 215 202 184 246 307 
			 Hotel, property and estates 344 331 290 291 299 286 304 311 320 302 303 457 
			 Managers and senior managers 92 97 96 92 84 79 97 100 99 114 33 70 
			  
			 Other staff or those with unknown classification 6 6 7 6 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 n/a = Not applicable. Figures for Healthcare Scientists were not separately identifiable until 2003.  Notes: 1. Full-time equivalent figures are rounded to the nearest whole number.  Data Quality: 2. Workforce statistics are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts in England. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data. Processing methods and procedures are continually being updated to improve data quality. Where this happens, any impact on figures already published will be assessed but unless this is significant at national level, they will not be changed. Where there is impact only at detailed or local level, this will be footnoted in relevant analyses.  Sources: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care Non-Medical Workforce Census. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care Medical and Dental Workforce Census.

TREASURY

Quantitative Easing

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effects on the economy of the Bank of England's decision to implement quantitative easing measures.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Bank of England has operational responsibility for monetary policy, including use of the Asset Purchase Facility.
	The Bank publishes quarterly reports on the APF, the first of which was published on 27 April. The Bank also reports on the APF in its Inflation Report and Quarterly Bulletin and regularly publishes operational information for the APF on its website.

Comprehensive Spending Review

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to commence the next Comprehensive Spending Review.

Liam Byrne: Departmental budgets are set until April 2011. The exceptional economic uncertainty we now face means that it would not make sense to set budgets now for 2014, less than half way through the current spending review period. The Chancellor will set out economic and fiscal forecasts at the time of the Pre-Budget report, when he will return to this issue.

Comprehensive Spending Review

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking in preparation for the next Comprehensive Spending Review.

Liam Byrne: Departmental budgets are set until April 2011. The exceptional economic uncertainty we now face means that it would not make sense to set budgets now for 2014, less than half way through the current spending review period. The Chancellor will set out economic and fiscal forecasts at the time of the Pre-Budget report, when he will return to this issue.

Departmental Expenditure Limits

John Whittingdale: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans have been made for total Departmental Expenditure Limits in real and cash terms for 2010-11 and 2013-14.

Liam Byrne: Departmental budgets are set until April 2011. The exceptional economic uncertainty we now face means that it would not make sense to set budgets now for 2014, less than half way through the current spending review period. The Chancellor will set out economic and fiscal forecasts at the time of the Pre-Budget report, when he will return to this issue.

Departmental Databases

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what categories of personal information about members of the public are contained on each relevant database managed by his Department and its agencies; on what date each such category of information began to be collected; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what categories of personal information on members of the public will be held on each database expected to become operational in the next five years which will be managed by his Department or one of its agencies; what estimate he has made of the likely number of individuals' details each such database will hold when fully operational; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what databases which will be managed by his Department or one of its agencies and which will contain personal information are  (a) under construction and  (b) expected to be operational in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to her on 8 July 2009,  Official Report, column 877W. For those databases, managed by the Treasury and its agencies, containing personal information about members of the public, the following categories of data are held:
	 Financial Sanctions (all categories collected since October 2007):
	Personal identification information, contact information, information related to financial sanctions.
	 Gilts Register (all categories collected since December 2004)
	Personal identification information, contact information, information related to gilts registration.
	 DMO Job Applicants (all categories collected since 2004):
	Personal identification information, contact information.
	All data stored on Treasury databases are managed in accordance with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998.
	There are currently no new databases managed by the Department, or its agencies, which will contain personal information of any kind, either under construction or expected to become operational over the next five years.
	Following the publication of the cross-Government data handling review in June 2008, any new projects or programmes that propose to hold significant amounts of personal data will be obliged to conduct privacy impact assessments.

Departmental Electronic Equipment

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many  (a) photocopiers,  (b) scanning devices and  (c) fax machines, excluding multi-function devices, there are in his Department; how many there were in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Treasury currently has no stand-alone photocopiers. Photocopying is carried out on multi-function devices. The other information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

Banks: Regulation

Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further plans he has for the reform of banking regulation.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: As set out in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's statement to the House on 8 July, the Government's plans for the reform of banking regulation are presented in the document 'Reforming financial markets.' Legislation will follow, where necessary, in the next session.

Banks: Remuneration of Senior Employees

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with banks in public ownership on remuneration packages for their senior employees.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Government have been clear that any rewards for senior employees in the banks must be based on solid, long-term performance which rebuilds the bank and delivers a good return for the taxpayer. As a shareholder, UKFI has worked closely with the bank to ensure these principles are adhered to. The implementation of this is for the banks' boards, in consultation with UKFI.

Economic Growth

Brian Binley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the future rate of growth of the economy.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: As set out in the Budget:
	GDP is forecast to contract sharply in the first half of 2009, by 4 per cent. on a year earlier, to stabilise in the second half of the year, and then to pick up progressively through 2010 and 2011.

Equitable Life Assurance Society

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reports he has received of the progress made by Sir John Chadwick in the formulation of his advice on an Equitable Life ex-gratia payment scheme.

Liam Byrne: Sir John provides regular updates to the Government on the progress of his work. Sir John has already established his Office, appointed its key members and actuarial advisers, and has established a website.
	On 16 June Sir John issued a document setting out his proposed approach and he has requested comments to this by 17 July.

Financial Action Task Force

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  whether the Government has received warnings from the Financial Action Task Force for non-compliance with its recommendations on combating the laundering of corrupt funds;
	(2)  on how many occasions the Government has delivered a progress report to the Financial Action Task Force for non-compliance with its recommendations on  (a) requiring banks to perform enhanced due diligence for politically exposed persons and  (b) preventing the unlawful use of legal persons by money launderers;
	(3)  whether the Government has received representations from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on the Government's compliance with FATF recommendations on tackling money laundering.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The anti-money laundering and countering the finance of terrorism regime of the UK was last evaluated by the FATF in 2007. The UK achieved one of the highest overall compliance ratings of any country evaluated so far and was required to report in two years on progress in addressing the deficiencies the report identified.
	That progress report was delivered in June this year. The report detailed all the action that had been taken in addressing each deficiency identified in the FATF mutual evaluation and will shortly be published on the FATF website.
	In the follow up report, the UK detailed the changes made to its regime since 2007, including the implementation of a requirement for banks to carry out enhanced due diligence when conducting business with politically exposed persons, thereby rectifying the identified shortfalls that led to the non-compliant rating against the recommendation on combating the laundering of corrupt funds.

Financial Ombudsman Service: Complaints

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information his Department holds on the average time taken by the Financial Ombudsman Service to respond to complaints by members of the public in the last six months.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) is operationally independent from Government. The steps taken by the Financial Ombudsman Service to deal with the demands it faces are detailed in its Corporate Plan and budget 2009-10 published in March 2009.

Interest Rates

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will assess the effect of lower interest rates on  (a) the income and  (b) retail spending levels of those over 65 years of age whose income is largely dependent on their savings.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Government recognise that historically low interest rates have particularly impacted on pensioners. Budget 2009 announced a package of support for pensioners who receive an income from savings.
	In order to help those pensioners who may have been affected by lower interest rates, the Government will be increasing the annual ISA investment limits for people aged 50 and over to £10,200, up to £5,100 of which can be held in cash, from October 2009.
	To provide additional support, the capital disregard in pension credit and pensioner-related housing and council tax benefit will increase in November 2009, meaning the first £10,000 of savings will not be included when calculating someone's entitlement for these income-related benefits. This is expected to increase the income of 540,000 low-income households by an average of £4 a week.
	The Government are also launching a new tax back campaign, through which pension credit recipients will be contacted to encourage them to claim back tax they may have overpaid on their savings income and, where possible, register to receive interest on their savings tax-free in future.
	The Government have also committed to maintain the standard interest rate used to calculate support for mortgage interest at 6.08 per cent. for a further six months until the end of December 2009, to provide continued support for home owners on pension credit who receive help with their mortgage.

Personal Income

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the net cost to the public purse of increasing personal allowances to provide a  (a) £2 and  (b) £3 rise in net income per week if the whole of the value of the increase in income were clawed back through national insurance contributions from those earning more than £18,000 per year.

Stephen Timms: £2 per week rise in net income would require an increase in the personal allowance of £520. £3 per week rise would require an increase of £780 The national insurance contributions (NICs) system in its present form has no facility that would allow the increase in net income to be clawed back from those who earn over £18,000 and pay primary Class 1 or Class 4 NICs.
	To do so would require each individual affected to have a different rate of NICs dependent on their income to ensure the income rises are exactly clawed back by the increase in NICs.

Public Expenditure

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on that Department's departmental expenditure limits for the next three years.

Liam Byrne: The Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Treasury ministers have regular discussion on a range of issues in the conduct of their duties including the Departmental Expenditure Limits of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
	DEFRA's Departmental Expenditure Limits for 2009-10 and 2010-11 were published on 19 June 2009 in Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis 2009.
	Departmental expenditure limits for all Departments for the period after 2010-11 will be set at the next Spending Review.

Public Services: Finance

Hywel Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department undertook a needs assessment of the cost of provision of public services in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in 1994.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 13 July 2009
	The Treasury produced an update of the 1979 Needs Assessment for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in 1994.

Revenue and Customs

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what requests received by HM Revenue and Customs under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in 2008 were  (a) classified as not resolvable and  (b) refused in full.

Stephen Timms: In 2008 HMRC received 1,288 Freedom of Information requests. Of these, 174 were classified as not resolvable in that HMRC either did not hold the information requested, or asked the requestor to clarify the information they were seeking.
	Of the remaining requests, HMRC fully withheld the information in 312 cases. The most frequent reason for withholding information is in response to requests for customer information, relating to either individuals or companies.
	The text for these 486 requests could be located and extracted only at disproportionate cost.

Taxation: Bingo

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what recent representations his Department has received on changes to the taxation regime for bingo;
	(2)  what representations his Department received from representatives of the bingo industry on estimates made by his Department in relation to the effects on that industry of recent changes to the taxation regime for bingo; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  whether he has had discussions with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on his Department's proposals in relation to the introduction of a gross profit tax system to replace amusement machine licence duty;
	(4)  whether he has had discussions with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on his Department's proposals in relation to the introduction of a gross profit tax in place of amusement machine licence duty; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  what representations he has received on his Department's planned consultation on proposals to introduce a gross profit tax in place of amusement machine licence duty;
	(6)  what representations his Department has received on changes to the amusement machine licence duty regime by means other than the introduction of a gross profits tax.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Treasury Ministers and officials meet with a wide range of organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors as part of the usual policymaking process. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such discussions.

Taxation: Gaming Machines

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what timetable he has set for his Department's consultation on proposals to introduce of a gross profit tax in place of amusement machine licence duty; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of introducing a gross profit tax in place of amusement machine licence duty; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what estimate his Department has made of the likely change in revenue accruing to the Exchequer consequent on the introduction of a gross profit tax on gaming machines; and what methodology was used to determine that estimate;
	(4)  what assessment his Department has made of the likely effects on the amusement machine industry of the introduction of a gross profit tax to replace the amusement machine licence duty system.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Government plan to launch the consultation and a consultation stage impact assessment soon. The Government will produce and publish a final stage impact assessment after the consultation has closed.

Taxation: Repayments

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  in how many and what proportion of tax credit cases in which tax credits were overpaid those overpayments were being repaid by claimants in each year since their introduction;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of tax credit claimants have been required to repay tax credits in each year since they were introduced.

Stephen Timms: This information is not available.
	The latest estimates of the number of families with tax credit awards, including information on overpayments based on final family circumstances and incomes are published on the HM Revenue Customs website at
	www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/menu.htm

VAT: Garages

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the rules on value added tax liability of garages rented by local authorities to householders have been amended since 1997.

Stephen Timms: No.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Apprentices

Lorely Burt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many apprenticeship places have been created as a result of the awarding of new public procurement contracts since January 2009; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: We do not have a central record of how many apprenticeship places have been created as a result of the award of new public sector contracts. There is no formal requirement in place in the Apprenticeships programme to record this information.
	A number of Departments and agencies have already brought forward firm, quantified commitments to creating apprenticeship opportunities through their procurement processes. The Olympic Delivery Authority has pledged to create an extra 250 apprenticeship places through the development of the Olympic Park and Village. Through Building Schools for the Future procurement, we expect to create an additional 1,000 apprenticeship places, building on existing commitments in Building Colleges for the Future where we estimate that on average one in every 20 workers employed on college construction projects is an apprentice.

Apprentices

Lorely Burt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what guidance his Department has issued on the inclusion of apprenticeship opportunities in criteria for Government procurement contracts.

Kevin Brennan: The Government are committed to using the unique leverage of their £175 billion procurement programme to promote skills training and apprenticeship opportunities.
	In April the then Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and the Office of Government Commerce published Promoting Skills through Public Procurement, a new guide to provide procurers across the public sector with practical advice on how skills training and apprenticeships can be promoted through public procurement processes-both when letting new contracts, and working with existing contractors on a voluntary basis.

Apprentices

John Hayes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what the average number of apprentices in training was in  (a) 2007-08 and  (b) 2008-09.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 13 July 2009
	There were 224,800 apprenticeship starts in 2007/08, the latest year for which we have full-year information. In total, there were 418,900 learners participating on apprenticeship programmes in 2007/08. This includes learners who had started their programme in previous academic years. In the first nine months of 2008/09 (1 August 2008 to 30 April 2009, provisional), there were 196,600 apprenticeship starts.
	In World-Class Apprenticeships, we announced that we were changing the way we count apprenticeships, moving to counting the number of people starting an apprenticeship in the year ('starts') and the percentage who complete an apprenticeship ('completion rate').

Apprentices: Finance

David Willetts: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions he has had with the Learning and Skills Council on funding the Council has allocated to training providers for the provision of new apprenticeship places in 2009-10.

Kevin Brennan: The Government have made clear to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) that apprenticeships are a key route to building the national skills base. The Government are committed to significant growth in apprenticeships for young people and adults.
	The LSC has issued final allocations to providers for apprenticeships for the academic year 2009/10. Funding for apprenticeships has increased by almost a quarter between 2007-08 and 2009-10, to over £1 billion.
	Government funding will provide for over 250,000 new apprenticeship starts in the academic year 2009-10, including an additional 30,000 of the 35,000 new starts announced by the Government in January 2009.

Companies Act 2006

Bob Russell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what progress his Department has made in its assessment of the merits of using provisions of the Companies Act 2006 to protect the use of the word college;
	(2)  if he will take steps to restrict the use of the word college to educational establishments providing education to recognised standards.

Ian Lucas: The new offence under the Companies Act 2006 of carrying on business under a name that gives so misleading an indication of the nature of the business's activities as to be likely to cause harm to the public will come into force on 1 October 2009. As this will address the problem of bogus colleges, I do not intend to add college to the list of words for which the Secretary of State's prior approval is required for their inclusion in either a company's registered name or any person's business name.

Consumer Protection Act 1987

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many requests for communications data were made by trading standards officials to communication service providers (CSPs) under the  (a) Consumer Protection Act 1987,  (b) Fair Trading Act 1973,  (c) Trade Descriptions Act 1968 in (i) 2000, (ii) 2001, (iii) 2002, (iv) 2003, (v) 2004, (vi) 2005, (vii) 2006, (viii) 2007 and (ix) 2008; and how many of these requests resulted in the requested communications data being disclosed by the relevant CSP.

Kevin Brennan: Local authorities will make requests to service providers for subscriber details as part of their enforcement activities on a case by case basis. This information is held by the respective local authorities and is not collected by central Government.

Consumers: Protection

David Drew: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department takes to ensure that consumers entering into contracts with  (a) utilities,  (b) communications providers,  (c) internet service providers,  (d) media services,  (e) banks and  (f) software companies are provided with comprehensible forms to protect them from agreeing to unfair terms.

Kevin Brennan: The Unfair Terms in Consumer Contract Regulations 1999 (UTCCRs) protect consumers when entering into contracts. Companies who deal with consumers and use standard form contracts must ensure they do not use unfair terms. Under the UTCCRs, an unfair term is defined as one which, contrary to the requirements of good faith, causes a significant imbalance in the parties' rights and obligations under the contract to the detriment of the consumer.
	The UTCCRs require that all contract terms are expressed in plain, intelligible language. The indicative list of terms which may be unfair includes terms with which the consumer has had no real opportunity of becoming acquainted before the conclusion of the contract.

Departmental Energy

Gregory Barker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much  (a) electricity and  (b) gas was used (i) on his Department's predecessors' estate and (ii) by his Department's predecessors' agencies in each year from 2004-05 to 2008-09.

Patrick McFadden: Electricity and gas consumption figures for BIS and its predecessors are as follows:
	
		
			  kWh 
			   Electricity  Gas 
			 2004-05 17,867,158 6,385,773 
			 2005-06 18,294,370 6,011,530 
			 2006-07 15,721,409 4,380,799 
			 2007-08 14,068,343 5,040,888 
			 2008-09 12,644,998 6,400,222 
		
	
	The figures shown for 2007-08 and 2008-09 include consumption by DIUS who occupied floors in a BIS managed building, Kingsgate House, in London. The figures do not include DIUS consumption in buildings managed by DCSF where DIUS also occupied space.
	I have approached the chief executives of the Insolvency Service, Companies House, National Weights and Measures Laboratory and UK Intellectual Property Office and they will respond directly to you.
	 Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 14 July 2009:
	The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, has asked me to reply to you directly on behalf of The Insolvency Service in relation to how much (a) electricity and (b) gas was used (i) on his Department's predecessors' estate and (ii) by his Department's predecessors' agencies in each year from 2004-05 to 2008-09.
	The table shows the amount of electricity and gas consumption (in kilowatt hours) that has been directly billed to the Insolvency Service by utility providers.
	
		
			  Financial year  Electricity  Gas 
			 2004-05 2722806 610187 
			 2005-06 2777875 565826 
			 2006-07 2770868 389574 
			 2007-08 2892755 471518 
			 2008-09 2336081 659159 
		
	
	In about half of its offices, The Insolvency Service is billed indirectly via a building services charge and where this is the case we are unable to identify energy, consumption separately.
	 Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 14 July 2009:
	I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 12 June 2009, UIN 280515, to the Minister of State for the Department for Business Innovation and Skills.
	The amounts of electricity and gas used by Companies House are as follows:
	
		
			  Year  Electricity (kwh)  Gas (kwh) 
			 2004-05 4,885,487 2,068,553 
			 2005-06 5,458,489 1,894,193 
			 2006-07 5,349,874 1,612,251 
			 2007-08 5,315,618 1,708,260 
			 2008-09 5,500,920 1,901,217 
		
	
	 Letter from Peter Mason, dated 25 June 2009:
	I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office (formerly National Weights and Measures Laboratory) to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 12 June 2009 [reference 280515] to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, asking how much (a) electricity and (b) gas was used (i) on his Department's predecessors' estate and (ii) by his Department's predecessors' agencies in each year from 2004-05 to 2008-09.
	The expenditure by the National Weights and Measures Laboratory on electricity and gas as recorded in the Agency's accounts over the relevant years was:
	
		
			  £ 
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Electricity 55,779.38 66,796.09 10,156.98 40,963.17 41,396.33 
			 Gas 17,551.23 26,730.70 23,993.23 23,579.51 29,409.96 
		
	
	 Letter from Ian Fletcher, dated 24 June 2009:
	I am responding on behalf of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 12 June 2009, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	In the last 4 years the following quantities of gas and electricity were used within the Intellectual Property Office; 05/06 through to 08/09 as follows:
	 20 05/06
	Gas: 4,451,422 kwH
	Electric: 2,952,075 kwH
	 2006/07
	Gas: 4,065,852 kwH
	Electric: 3,415,314 kwH
	 2007/08
	Gas: 3,982,293 kwH
	Electric: 3,404,358 kwH
	 2008/09
	Gas: 4,035,357 kwH
	Electric: 3,379,787 kwH
	Figures are for Concept House and NMP. Harmsworth House consumption was included in the service charge and not monitored separately.
	We are not able to provide figures for 04/05 within the specified time frame as these records are not kept electronically at present and paper records are held off site in storage.

Education: Standards

Bob Russell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what representations he has received on the effects on the reputation of the higher and further education sectors of trends in the numbers of establishments purporting to be colleges but not providing education to recognised standards;
	(2)  what steps he plans to take to cease the operations of organisations purporting to provide educational courses but not doing so to recognised standards.

Kevin Brennan: This Department and its predecessors have received representations on this issue from a number of parties. Following the Home Affairs Select Committee on 16 June 2009, the Department will form a task group to review the case for registering privately funded education providers. The task group will report back with its findings in September 2009.

Iron and Steel: Redundancy

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what training schemes will be provided for skilled steel workers who are made redundant to retain and develop their skills.

Kevin Brennan: The Government are committed to providing individuals and employers with the real help they need during the current economic downturn.
	In each region Government agencies, including the Regional Development Agencies and Learning and Skills Council, are working together with Jobcentre Plus to deliver its Rapid Response Service to help individuals affected by redundancy. The service provides help and advice on a range of issues, including job searches, training, and benefits, and can be delivered on employers' premises.
	Newly redundant employees or those under notice of redundancy can access a new £100 million package of support that will help 70,000 people to get flexible pre- employment training designed to meet their individual needs and help them get back to work quickly. The support typically lasts two to eight weeks, and there is no restriction on the type of provision.
	£58 million will also be available over two years to increase information and advice services for people looking to re-train and find work.
	The Government have also created 75,000 additional work-focused training opportunities for people who have been unemployed for six months or more from any sector, to help them up-skill or re-skill and get back into work. This provision is tailored to the local job market, can be full-time supported by a training allowance, and will provide a significant uplift in skills.
	Through the Train to Gain service we are also actively engaging with employers in the steel industry to provide them and their employees with the skills support that will help them through the downturn.

Learning and Skills Council

David Laws: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will place in the Library a copy of the minutes of the meeting of the Learning and Skills Council on  (a) 4 March and  (b) 22 April 2009; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: The acting chief executive of the Learning and Skills Council has recently undertaken a review of its National Council minutes and has decided that he will make public the full minutes from the National Council meetings, subject to the redaction of any confidential information that is exempt under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Copies of the full minutes from June 2008 to April 2009 have now been published on their website, and can be found at:
	www.lsc.gov.uk
	Minutes of future meetings will be placed on the LSC's website within seven days of being approved by the Council.

Learning and Skills Council

David Willetts: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills whether the paper on the regional and sub-regional presence of the Young People's Learning Agency and the Skills Funding Agency, which the former Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills undertook to provide to the Learning and Skills Council at its Council meeting on 22 April 2009, has been completed.

Kevin Brennan: This paper remains under development and will be submitted to a future meeting of the LSC Council. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Children, Skills and Families are currently working with a range of partners at regional and sub-regional level to discuss how they will work with the Skills Funding Agency and Young People's Learning Agency.

Learning and Skills Council

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of progress in the transition from the Learning and Skills Council to the Skills Funding Agency and Young People Learning Agency.

Kevin Brennan: We continue to make good progress in planning for the changes, though any transition is subject to the passage of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill, currently progressing through Parliament.
	In respect of local authorities, we now have proposals for the operation of the 43 sub-regional groupings that will act as the main planning bodies for learning for those aged 16-18 across the country.
	Significant progress has also been made in developing the new structures for the Young People's Learning Agency and the Skills Funding Agency. The ambition is to establish shadow operations, without disrupting services to young people, employers and adult learners, from this September.
	We have appointed a chair of the new LSC Young People's Learning Agency committee and appointed a chief executive designate of the Young People's Learning Agency, though this is subject to the passage of the ASCL Bill. Recruitment for the post of chief executive of Skills Funding is also under way.
	LSC staff have been briefed on the new staffing structures (including numbers and roles) and locations for the new agencies and for each local authority, and processes to match LSC staff to the posts in the new structures have been communicated and are under way.
	We continue to work with key partners and stakeholder to ensure that our planning for the change is as comprehensive as possible. During June and July we are undertaking a series of regional events for partners and stakeholders affected by or involved in the changes to the pre and post 19 landscapes, to provide information on the changes and invite their views on how they would like to work with the new systems locally.

Learning and Skills Council

Phil Willis: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many posts he expects to be transferred from the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) to local authorities by 31 March 2010; and how many staff he expects to be transferred by  (a) 31 August 2009,  (b) 31 December 2009 and  (c) 31 March 2010 from the LSC to those posts in each LSC region of England.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 9 July 2009
	The LSC will continue to operate until 31 March 2010. On that date, subject to the passage of the necessary legislation in the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill, the LSC will be dissolved.
	On 1 April 2010 LSC staff will transfer to the new structures. We expect around 950 posts to transfer to local authorities distributed across each of the local authorities in each region.
	No staff will transfer before this point, though we are planning to operate the new system in a shadow mode from September 2009 as a part of the transition process. The LSC remains the legally accountable body for the planning, commissioning and funding of all post-16 provision until it is dissolved.

Learning and Skills Council: Finance

Justine Greening: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 24 June 2009,  Official Report, columns 981-2W, on Learning and Skills Council: finance, 
	(1)  when he expects to announce the funding allocations to local authorities through the Learning and Skills Council for the academic year 2009-10;
	(2)  what funding allocations were made to the London boroughs through the Learning and Skills Council in the academic years  (a) 2007-08 and  (b) 2008-09;
	(3)  what funding allocations were made to each London borough for informal adult learning in the academic years  (a) 2007-08 and  (b) 2008-09; and what funding is planned for the academic year 2009-10.

Kevin Brennan: The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has responsibility for the funding of post 16 education and training. Further education (FE) colleges and providers (including local authorities) received confirmation of their adult learner responsive allocations on 7 April 2009, with maximum contract values for Train to Gain and adult apprenticeships confirmed on 19 June 2009.
	This Department does not hold information on funding allocations made to London boroughs for specific years. I have therefore asked the chief executive of the LSC, Geoff Russell to write to the hon. Member with this information and a copy will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Skilled Workers

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what recent research his Department and its predecessor have evaluated on the effects of skill levels in the workforce on levels of national prosperity;
	(2)  what recent research his Department has evaluated on the potential effects of the numbers of people taking  (a) further and higher education courses and  (b) skills courses on levels of economic productivity.

Kevin Brennan: The Department is constantly monitoring research and analysis on the economic impact of education, skills and qualifications. This covers both work commissioned by the Department and by others.
	Generally, there is not much research that directly estimates the impact on overall levels of national prosperity of the numbers going through HE and FE, or of the numbers holding FE and HE-level qualifications. The Bank of England found that increasing skill levels accounted for a fifth of GDP growth over the 30 years from 1975-2002(1). Other research(2 )found that lower skill levels in the UK directly accounted for up to a fifth of the productivity gap with our competitors.
	In future we also hope to be able to match data from the National Employer Skills Survey, and the Train to Gain Evaluation, to data from the Annual Business Inquiry. This should help us to try and assess the direct impact of skills on firm level productivity.
	However, there is a lot of research that can inform this question in a more indirect way-in particular research which analyses the impact of holding qualifications on earnings, which is generally taken as a reasonable proxy for the impact on productivity of those individuals. Relevant reports published in the departmental research series(3) since 2000 are listed as follows.
	In addition, the Department co-funds the Centre for the Economics of Education (CEE). This research centre has also carried out a lot of research on the returns to the economy and individuals from education and training. Their publications can be found on their website at:
	http://cee.lse.ac.uk
	In brief, the research shows that individuals with higher qualification levels are more likely to be employed than those with lower qualification levels. Equally, individuals with higher qualifications are less likely to be unemployed.
	Once in work, people with higher qualifications also earn more on average than similar individuals with lower qualification levels. This is true for each successive level of qualification, and applies to both academic and vocational qualifications, plus apprenticeships. In general, higher qualifications carry higher earnings returns and academic qualifications deliver higher returns than their vocational counterparts.
	Research also shows that the earnings returns to qualifications have remained relatively constant over recent years. This would seem to suggest that the supply of skilled labour has been keeping pace with employer demand, and we are not saturating the market with skills and qualifications that are not in demand.
	The Department will continue to monitor the returns to education, skills and qualifications, both through commissioned research and through internal analysis of data. It is vital that we gain as full an understanding as possible of these returns. This will enable us to make sure that the qualifications we deliver in future provide economically valuable skills for individuals, employers and the economy as a whole, and help us to achieve the ambitions for a high-skilled workforce set out in the Leitch report on skills.
	DIUS Research Brief CEE-08-02 An Analysis of the Benefit of NVQ2 Qualifications Acquired at Age 26-34, De Coulon and Vignoles (2008)
	Ref: DCSF-CEE-02-07 Returns to Qualifications in England: Updating the Evidence Base on Level 2 and Level 3 Vocational Qualifications, Jenkins et al (2007)
	Ref: RB834-Apprenticeships and Other Vocational Qualifications: A Cost-Benefit Analysis, McIntosh (2007)
	Ref: RR465-Sectoral  Area Analysis of the Economic Effects of Qualifications and Basic Skills, Machin et al (2003)
	Ref: RB370-Further Analysis of the Returns to Academic and Vocational Qualifications, McIntosh et al (2002)
	Ref: 2001074-Literature Review on Rates of Return to Higher Education, London School of Economics (2002)
	Ref: 2002023-Labour Market Returns to Graduates from Less Advantaged Backgrounds in the Context of Expansion: A Review of the Literature, London School of Economics (2002)
	Ref: 2002041-The returns arising from learning undertaken as adults, Department for Education and Employment (2002)
	Ref: RB313-Returns to Education: Evidence from the Labour Force Survey, Walker and Zhu (2001)
	Ref: RR254-The Returns to Education: A Review of Evidence, Issues and Deficiencies in the Literature, Harmon and Walker (2001)
	Ref: RR192-The Returns to Academic Vocational and Basic Skills in Britain. Dearden et al (2000)
	Ref: 28199-Returns to Education-evidence using a sample of UK twins, Institute of Education (2000)
	Bell, Burriel-Llombart and Jones (2005) A quality-adjusted labour input series for the United Kingdom (1975-2002) Bank of England Working Paper 280.
	(2) O'Mahoney and de Boer (2002) Britain's relative productivity performance: Updates to 1999 NIESR.
	(3) This covers the predecessor Departments: DIUS, DFES and DFEE.

Skilled Workers

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what his most recent assessment is of the UK's optimal skills mix; and what steps his Department is taking to achieve that skills mix.

Kevin Brennan: Ambition 2020, published by UKCES, reiterates Government's long held view that raising skills levels improves the country's future prosperity. Working Futures, also published by UKCES, made it clear that if we are to emerge from the recession stronger, more adaptable and more competitive, our skills strategy must enable the UK to take advantage of opportunities in the key industries, technologies and services that will drive economic growth.
	Government are investing £5 billion in adult skills this year to continue to up-skill the nation. Government have also put in place measures to ensure we are up-skilling people with the right skills. For example, sector skills agreements provide a framework for sector skills council's to work with employers, key delivery agencies and Government to address priority skills in their sector.
	Government will now take a more proactive approach to ensure it delivers the right skills, in the right place, at the right time to ensure the UK can seize the opportunities of the new global economy. The new approach will include forecasting demand; taking action to manage supply to meet these demands; and thinking strategically about how we best support areas of the economy where we anticipate opportunities for high employment or high competitive advantage.
	We will publish a new Skills Strategy later this year, setting out how this will work in more detail.

Students: Loans

Stephen Williams: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what progress has been made in selling parts of the student loan book following the enactment of the Sale of Student Loans Act 2008.

David Lammy: The Government still intend to make sales from the student loan book, but it is clear that this should only be done at a time when we can get a good return for the taxpayer. For the time being, the market conditions do not allow this. However, we will actively look to identify opportunities for a sale that represents value for money as market conditions improve.

Train to Gain Programme

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what mechanisms his Department uses to assess the progress of the Train to Gain programme towards its objectives; and what his most recent assessment is of such progress.

Kevin Brennan: The progress of Train to Gain is assessed both through evaluations commissioned by the Learning and Skills Council and through the use of Management Information on Train to Gain starts and outcomes, reported in the Statistical First Release, published by the Data Service.
	The most recent, fourth wave of Train to Gain evaluation comprised a survey of Train to Gain employers and a survey with learners who accessed training via Train to Gain. Reports on these employer and learner evaluations were published on 25 June 2009, alongside the most recent Statistical First Release.
	The latest employer evaluation tells us that employers are satisfied, and Train to Gain is having a real impact on business:
	more than nine in 10 of employers were satisfied with the quality of provision;
	80 per cent. of employers who had taken up training would recommend it to others;
	around half of employers sampled reported a positive impact on staff productivity;
	66 per cent. reported improved long-term competitiveness.
	Additionally, the latest Train to Gain learner evaluation shows that improving skills provides benefits to individuals in terms of improved employment prospects, labour market progression and social mobility:
	83 per cent. of new learners said their training gave them skills that would help them do a better job in the future.
	34 per cent. of learners completing a Train to Gain course reported getting a promotion, and 34 per cent. of new learners reported receiving a pay rise.
	The Statistical First Release shows that since April 2006, there have been a total just over 1.25 million Train to Gain starts with around 600,000 qualifications achieved.

Train to Gain Programme: Tamworth

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people resident in Tamworth constituency have successfully completed a Train to Gain course in the latest period for which figures are available.

Kevin Brennan: In 2007/08 academic year, 470 courses were achieved through Train to Gain by learners resident in Tamworth constituency, an increase from 170 in 2006/07.
	This information was published in a statistical first release on 25 June 2009:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/sfriun09/

Tyne Metropolitan College

Stephen Byers: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will provide additional funding to Tyne Metropolitan College for the purposes of  (a) avoiding redundancies and  (b) maintaining numbers of available courses.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 13 July 2009
	The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has responsibility for the funding of post-16 further education (FE) and skills delivered through FE colleges and providers. In line with Government priorities, funding is prioritised towards courses that provide adults with the skills to enter and progress into employment or further learning.
	As independent organisations, FE colleges are responsible for managing their own budgets and setting the conditions of service of their staff. The Government therefore have no involvement in contractual arrangements for college staff.

Vocational Training

David Evennett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent representations he has received from training providers on the availability of  (a) apprenticeships and  (b) Train to Gain contracts in the 2009-10 academic year.

Kevin Brennan: As a part of its normal tendering process, in January 2009 the Learning and Skills Council undertook a tendering exercise for Employer Responsive provision in 2009-10. 2,059 organisations accessed the pre-qualification questionnaire for this exercise, 1,553 responded to the questionnaire, 1,142 were invited to tender for Train to Gain and Apprenticeship provision, and 47 responded to the Train to Gain invitation to tender and 14 to the Apprenticeships invitation to tender.

Vocational Training

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what methodology his Department uses to assess the demand for skills training in each region.

Kevin Brennan: The Department utilises data and advice from the United Kingdom Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) and the National Employer Skills Survey (NESS) to provide a national level picture of skills needs. The most recent wave of NESS (2007) interviewed around 79,000 employers. The National Employer Skills Survey 2007 report includes a breakdown of the regional pattern of skills gaps (i.e. where employers consider that employees are not fully proficient at their job), including a distribution of skills gaps by occupation in each region (p.85) and the skills lacking by region (p.88). Each regional development agency also assesses the need to improve skills levels at regional level as part of the Regional Economic Strategy (separate arrangements apply in London).

Written Questions: Government Responses

Michael Weir: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills when he plans to answer question  (a) 265951 and  (b) 265952, tabled on 18 March 2009, on the Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme.

Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 13 July 2009,  Official Report, column 186W.